i 


!  IM/dii' 

Wimi'IIY  oi  linffi 
U  I 

PEARY’S  DISCOVERY  OF 
THE  NORTH  POLE 


For  the  verdict  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  which  passed  upon 
the  report  of  these  distinguished  Americans  has  been  accepted  without 
question  by  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  of  London,  the  geographical 
societies  of  Berlin,  Paris,  Geneva,  Rome,  Brussels,  Antwerp,  Vienna, 
Dresden,  Madrid,  St.  Petersburg,  Tokyo,  Mexico,  Lima  (Peru),  the 
geographical  societies  of  Chicago,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia,  and 
practically  every  geographical  society  in  the  world. 


SPEECH 

OF 


HON.  J.  HAMPTON  MOORE 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


IN  THE 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES 


^lARCK  33,  1910 


* 


34239—8852 


WASHINGTON 

1910 


HON 


SPEECH 

OF 

.  J.  HAMPTON  MOORE, 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Mr.  MOORE  of  Pennsylvania  said : 

Mr.  Speaker  :  It  is  my  purpose  to  lay  before  the  House 
certain  information  with  regard  to  the  discovery  of  the  North 
Pole  by  Robert  E.  Peary,  an  American.  I  have  taken  care  to 
group  this  information,  so  that  it  may  be  at  the  service  of  the 
House  when  the  question  comes  before  it  of  according  recogni¬ 
tion  to  this  distinguished  naval  officer  who  has  outclassed  all 
other  nations  in  the  world’s  greatest  achievement  in  explora¬ 
tion. 

It  has"  been  contended  by  those  who  have  disputed  the  pro¬ 
priety  of  recognizing  Mr.  Peary  that  his  various  voyages  of 
discovery  were  without  the  sanction  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States;  that  they  were  voluntary;  and  that  no  advan¬ 
tage  has  come  to  the  Government  by  reason  of  them.  That 
Mr.  Peary,  who  now  ranks  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States  as 
a  civil  engineer,  should  be  advanced  to  the  rank  of  rear-admiral 
of  the  line  in  the  navy  is  also  regarded  with  some  concern,  if 
not  with  direct  opposition,  upon  the  part  of  those  officers  of  the 
navy  who  look  forward  to  promotion  to  the  rank  of  rear- 
admiral  as  the  result  of  their  training  at  the  Naval  Academy 
at  Annapolis  and  by  reason  of  their  duties  to  the  Government 
in  pursuance  of  that  training.  At  the  outset  it  is  to  be  ad¬ 
mitted  that  the  sudden  advancement  of  a  civil  engineer,  who 
has  not  been  educated  under  the  auspices  of  the  Government, 
but  whose  education  has  been  otherwise  acquired,  would  pro¬ 
voke  discussion  as  between  those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to 
acquire  what  may  be  regarded  as  a  higher  education  at  the 
expense  of  the  Government  and  those  who  are  privately  taught 
or  who  fairly  come  under  the  classification  of  “  self-made  men.” 

But  if  we  are  to  acknowledge  in  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  that  honors  and  rewards  for  faithful  service  to  the  coun¬ 
try,  or  for  extraordinary  achievements,  are  to  go  only  to  those 
of  the  more  fortunate  of  our  public  servants,  we  are  at  once  to 
belie  the  much-bruited  boast  of  American  spirit  and  spunk  which 
in  so  many  instances,  in  war  and  in  peace,  have  produced  great 
men  and  sealed  important  events  to  the  honor  and  the  glory  of 
our  flag. 

STATUS  OF  THE  CIVIL  ENGINEER. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  this  question  should  have  been  raised 
in  the  present  instance,  but  it  is  a  fact,  nevertheless,  that  Mr. 
Peary,  a  civil  engineer  of  the  Navy  of  the  United  States,  is  very 
largely  the  victim  of  an  hereditary  prejudice  which  would  deny 
him  promotion  because  he  is  not  of  the  line  of  the  navy  and  is 
not,  therefore,  to  be  invested  with  that  sanctity  and  exclusive¬ 
ness  of  recognition  which  is  claimed  to  be  the  portion  only  of 
specially  taught  men.  It  seems  to  matter  not  that  civil  engineer 
though  he  was,  and  still  is,  he  fitted  out  and  conducted  no  less 
than  eight  expeditions  into  unknown  lands  and  dangerous  seas, 
all  of  them  with  the  permission  of  the  Government,  though  only 
9  34239—8852 


WO'Z 


3 


%  one  of  them — the  last  and  successful  one — under  the  authority 
and  direction  of  the  Government.  The  consummation  of  the 
efforts  of  twenty-three- years  of  Mr.  Peary’s  best  and  most  self- 
sacrificing  endeavors,  a  consummation  for  which  the  daring  ex¬ 
plorers  of  other  nations  had  vainly  sought — the  actual  discov¬ 
ery  of  the  North  Pole — a  consummation  which  enabled  the 
s  v  United  States  of  America  to  proudly  point  to  its  own  colors,  the 
, Stars  and  Stripes,  attaining  heights  which  rival  nations  were 
unable  to  attain,  seems  not  to  have  made  any  difference  in  the 
case  of  the  American  civil  engineer  who  had  been  the  personifi¬ 
cation  of  it  all.  On  the  contrary,  rather  than  yield  to  him  the 
laurels  that  another  nation  would  have  proudly  bestowed  upon 
its  own,  he  has  since  been  treated  with  that  derision  and  lack 
of  respect  which  at  once  reflects  upon  the  gratitude  of  a  people 
and  serves  to  curb  the  incentive  of  ambitious  American  youth. 

It  is  because  I  believe  a  great  wrong  is  being  done  to  an 
American  citizen  and  an  officer  of  the  American  Navy  whose 
personal  privations,  sacrifices,  and  victories  have  been  no  less 
than  those  of  a  triumphant  general  upon  the  battlefield,  or  of  a 
gallant  commander  of  the  sea,  that  I  submit  to  Congress  these 
actual  records  with  regard  to  Mr.  Peary  and  his  work. 


THE  FATE  OF  COLUMBUS. 


It  is  charged  that  Peary  did  not  reach  the  pole.  Who  makes 
that  charge,  and  why?  A  relative  of  one  of  the  crew  of  the 
last  expedition  fulminates  through  the  newspapers.  An  anony¬ 
mous  letter  writer  suggests  that  Peary  threw  stones  at  windows 
when  he  was  a  boy  in  Maine.  Some  one  else  complains  that 
sometime  during  the  period  of  twenty-three  years  of  effort  in 
raising  money,  employing  men,  and  carrying  on  his  perilous 
expeditions,  Peary  had  disputes  with  somebody  concerning 
something.  It  is  said  by  someone  that  he  borrowed  money  and 
incurred  obligations  to  fit  out  ships,  and  that  somebody  during 
the  long  period  of  twenty-three  years  had  differences  with  him 
as  to  details  of  management. 

I  assume  that  Peary  had  his  troubles,  and  I  believe  that 
every  schoolboy  will  recall  that  Christopher  Columbus,  the  dis¬ 
coverer  of  America,  had  his.  For  centuries  there  has  been  a 
well-founded  rumor  that  the  Queen  of  Spain  disposed  of  some 
of  her  jewels  in  order  that  Columbus  might  fit  out  his  expedi¬ 
tion.  Doubtless  Peary,  a  “  civil  engineer,”  striving  for  the 
North  Pole  while  “  on  leave  pay,”  and  with  that  as  his  only 
government  aid  to  support  himself  and  family,  was  compelled 
to  beg  and  to  borrow  money  in  order  to  fit  out  ships  to  sail  into 
unknown  seas.  The  fate  of  Columbus,  as  it  has  been  handed 
down  to  us,  is  ominous,  and  yet  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  an  Ameri¬ 
can  Congress  duly  informed  will  not  permit  the  ingratitude  of 
a  foreign  nation  to  its  son  of  greatest  celebrity,  to  find  its 
counterpart  in  the  land  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 


DISCIPLINE  INDISPENSIBLE. 


But  some  one  arises  to  say  that  Peary  was  a  disciplinarian, 
and  that  he  was  harsh  to  his  men.  If  the  opinion  of  any  dis¬ 
tinguished  general  of  the  army,  or- of  any  commander  of  the 
navy,  were  to  be  asked  as  to  the  wisdom  of  discipline  and  au¬ 
thority  on  an  expedition  involving  danger,  pray  what  would  his 
answer  be?  With  a  small  crew  housed  in  one  small  ship  for  a 
period  extending  into  the  years,  far  from  civilization,  and  with¬ 
out  the  means  of  modern  communication,  pray  how  is  success 
34239—8852 


4 


to  be  achieved  where  every  man  is  a  general?  Is  it  to  be  pre¬ 
sumed  that  discipline  is  to  be  waived  upon  a  voyage  of  arctic 
research  where  the  lives  of  the  men  are  absolutely  in  the  keep¬ 
ing  of  the  commander  any  more  than  upon  the  battlefield  where 
the  last  desperate  fight  is  being  fought,  or  upon  the  high  seas 
where  the  colors  are  about  to  fall? 

In  the  long  record  of  twenty-three  years  of  arctic  exploration, 
the  commander  of  eight  expeditions,  Mr.  Peary,  with  an  ability, 
with  a  knowledge  of  conditions,  with  a  will  power  suited  to 
emergency,  so  administered  the  affairs  of  his  men  that  but 
two  fatalities  occurred,  both  accidental  drownings.  If  there 
be  any  who  for  personal  reasons,  whether  financial  or  other¬ 
wise,  find  fault  with  Mr.  Peary  upon  this  score,  let  them  under¬ 
take  to  perfect  and  conduct  an  expedition  upon  such  plans  and 
theories  as  they  themselves  may  devise.  Some  glory,  some 
credit  has  accrued  during  the  last  three  hundred  years  to  the 
exploration  of  Hendrick  Hudson,  and  yet  the  fate  of  Hendrick 
Hudson,  cast  adrift  by  his  mutinous  crew  in  arctic  waters,  is  a 
fair  illustration  of  the  dangers  that  confront  the  captains  of 
the  sea  who  lose  control  of  their  men. 

At  this  time,  Mr.  Speaker,  I  shall  not  proceed  further  with 
this  line  of  thought  than  to  say  that  Mr.  Peary’s  explorations, 
costly  as  they  were  to  him  and  to  his  friends,  drawing  upon  the 
best  years  of  his  life,  were  not  without  their  personal  inflictions, 
for  apart  from  the  years  of  suffering,  of  peril  and  privation  in 
unknown  icy  wilds,  his  leg  was  broken,  his  feet  were  frozen 
(he  is  minus  eight  toes),  and  the  scars  that  he  bears  to-day 
are  as  painful  and  as  honorable  as  though  they  had  come  from 
the  rifle  or  the  sabre. 

GOVERNMENT  PAY  AND  PRIVATE  FUNDS. 

But,  Mr.  Speaker,  the  question  for  this  Congress  to  consider 
when  the  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs  shall  have  reported  upon 
any  one  of  the  bills  now  before  it  is  whether,  in  view  of  his 
one  last  and  successful  expedition,  Mr.  Peary  is  entitled  to  the 
grateful  recognition  of  his  countrymen.  It  has  been  said  he 
■was  in  the  pay  of  the  Government  during  the  conduct  of  every 
expedition,  and  that  he  was  simply  performing  his  duty  as  an 
officer  of  the  civil  branch  of  the  navy.  I  will  present  some  data 
as  to  that.  It  has  also  been  said  that  his  various  expeditions 
were  at  private  expense  and  that  his  reports  were  not  made  to 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  but  were  submitted  to  as¬ 
sociations  the  purpose  of  which  was  to  add  to  our  common  geo¬ 
graphic  knowledge.  I  have  already  indicated  that  the  Govern¬ 
ment  paid  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  toward  the  outfitting  of 
any  one  of  the  Peary  expeditions,  not  even  that  last  successful 
expedition  upon  which  Peary  was  under  the  direct  and  positive 
orders  of  the  Government,  save  such  “  leave  of  absence  pay  ” 
as  was  conceded  to  him  for  the  maintenance  of  his  family  dur¬ 
ing  his  absence.  And  in  passing  I  would  say  that  if  Peary  is  to 
be  discredited  because  he  accepted  “  leave  of  absence  pay  ”  dur¬ 
ing  the  period  of  those  expeditions  which  he  was  conducting  at 
his  own  expense  or  that  of  his  friends  apart  from  the  Govern¬ 
ment,  what  is  to  be  said  of  the  attitude  of  the  Government 
which  was  party  to  his  going,  to  the  extent  that  it  paid  his 
living  expenses  and  yet  refused  to  contribute  a  cent  to  the  ex¬ 
penses  of  the  various  expeditions,  including  the  final  and  suc¬ 
cessful  one?  How  is  the  Government,  through  its  Department 
of  the  Navy,  permitting  Peary  to  continue  his  explorations  at 
34239— 8S52 


5 


the  risk  of  his  life  and  that  of  his  men  for  twenty-three  years, 
granting  him  leave  and  allowing  him  “  leave  pay,”  to  now  deny 
him  fitting  recognition  when  he  returns  at  his  own  expense 
and  that  of  his  friends,  and  lays  the  trophy  he  has  won  into  the 
very  lap  of  the  Government? 

Mr.  Speaker,  the  Government  of  the  United  States  gave 
Mr.  Peary  nothing  to  equip  any  one  of  his  eight  expeditions, 
the  cost  of  which  aggregated  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars. 
The  Government  paid  only  the  living  expenses  of  the  explorer, 
and  yet  it  acquiesced  in  his  desire  to  accomplish  something 
that  would  redound  to  the  glory  of  the  Nation,  and  permitted 
him  to  ask,  to  beg,  for  funds  that  he  might  place  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  ahead  of  any  other  flag  of  the  world. 

A  WAR  OF  THE  PRESS. 

Oh,  he  had  to  borrow;  Mr.  Speaker,  he  had  to  give  notes; 
he  was  obliged  to  make  contracts ;  there  was  no  other  way  to 
obtain  the  money.  And,  if  the  truth  be  known,  there  would  be 
scant  difference  of  opinion  in  this  country  to-day  with  regard 
to  his  world  achievement  had  it  not  been  that  in  his  desper¬ 
ation,  at  the  eleventh  hour,  when  the  time  had  come  to  move 
the  stout  ship  Roosevelt,  he  agreed  for  a  contribution  of  $4,000 
to  send  the  first  news  of  his  discovery  to  certain  papers.  Here 
is  a  chapter  that  may  never  be  written;  and  yet  if  there  had 
not  been  proceedings  to  protect  the  contracts,  proceedings  to 
uphold  the  copyright  laws  of  this  Nation,  the  patriotic  pride 
of  the  editors  of  this  country  would  have  placed  Peary  upon 
a  pedestal,  and  his  return  would  have  been  greater  than  a 
Roman  triumph.  But,  Mr.  Speaker,  these  are  days  of  fierce 
competition  in  the  newspaper  world.  Men  strive  to  outdo  each 
other  to  gratify  the  public  taste  for  sensation  that  is  fast  be¬ 
coming  maudlin.  The  “  scoop  ”  is  an  institution  familiar  to 
every  enterprising  publication  of  the  land ;  to  be  “  scooped  ” 
in  the  publication  of  a  story  of  such  world-wide  significance 
as  the  discovery  of  the  North  Pole  would  be  a  crime  in  any 
great  newspaper  office,  punishable  by  the  immediate  discharge 
of  the  man  assigned  to  obtain  it ;  but  when  newspapers  gener¬ 
ally,  thousands  of  them,  are  “  scooped  ”  by  a  few,  the  imagina¬ 
tive,  the  creative,  the  resourceful  faculties  of  American  writers 
are  readily  available  for  means  of  defense. 

In  my  humble  judgment,  Mr.  Speaker,  the  good  faith  of 
Peary  to  one  of  his  contributors  was  liis  undoing.  Conscious 
of  his  own  long  and  untiring  efforts  to  obtain  the  means  to 
proceed  with  his  expedition,  of  the  sufferings  he  had  endured, 
of  the  expectations  of  the  plaudits  of  the’  people  when  he  had 
finally  beaten  through  the  barriers  and  won  the  goal,  he  was 
indignant — what  American,  with  red  blood  in  his  veins,  would 
not  be — that  90,000,000  Americans  and  all  the  world  beside 
should  be  deceived  by  pretense  and  imposture.  He  spoke 
quickly  and.  barring  differences  of  opinion  as  to  the  parlia¬ 
mentary  method  of  his  speaking,  he  told  the  truth ;  he  sounded 
the  warning,  and  asked  a  suspension  of  judgment  until  the  facts 
could  be  told  and  fraud  and  deceit  could  be  dethroned. 

THE  PUBLIC  WANTED  NEWS,  AND  GOT  IT. 

The  American  people  gloried  in  Peary’s  return ;  they  awaited 
his  coming  and  the  recital  of  his  story  ;  neither  they  nor  the  great 
newspaper  craft  had  patience  to  await  the  unwinding  of  the 
red  tape  associated  with  a  governmental  report;  they  wanted 
34239—8852 


6 


news,  and  they  wanted  Peary’s  news.  Unhappily  for  Peary 
he  kept  his  faith,  and  those  in  the  newspaper  world  with  whom 
he  kept  his  faith  exercised  the  right  of  legal  protection,  leav¬ 
ing  open  to  the  great  mass  of  newspapers  of  the  country  such 
information,  such  stories,  as  might  come,  and  readily  did  come, 
from  another  source.  A  world’s  event  was  being  recorded,  and 
the  difficulties  of  a  majority  of  the  newspapers  in  obtaining 
Peary’s  news  gave  color  and  support  to  another  fertile  but 
irresponsible  medium,  which  spouted  arctic  yarns  with  won¬ 
drous  volubility. 

Mr.  Speaker,  the  newspaper  profession  is  potential,  and  its 
value  under  proper  auspices  is  not  to  be  disputed.  But  as 
with  most  men  in  public  life,  so  it  is  within  the  newspaper 
world — hard  to  come  down.  A  newspaper  is  not  prone  to  re¬ 
trace  its  steps,  nor  to  make  apologies  for  its  utterances.  It  can 
not  afford  to  be  fooled;  but  if  it  is  fooled,  it  can  not  afford  to 
admit  it. 

Had  some  new  Chatterton  not  entered  the  field  with  his 
“  Itowley  poems;”  had  some  new  Ireland  with  his  “original” 
Shakespeare  manuscripts  not  attracted  public  attention;  had 
not  the  shades  of  the  illustrious  Barnum  “scooped”  the  public 
attention  with  his  “  Cardiff  Giant,”  there  would  have  been  no 
North  Pole  controversy  in  this  country,  save  only  as  it  related 
to  the  single  question  whether  an  officer  of  the  staff  of  the  navy 
should  be  advanced  to  the  line. 

With  these  observations,  Mr.  Speaker,  I  submit  records 
which  may  tend  to  remove,  from  the  public  mind  at  least,  some 
of  the  falsehoods  and  misrepresentation  which  have  beclouded 
the  work  of  Mr.  Peary.  First  of  all,  I  present  a  summary  of 
Peary’s  northern  voyages,  every  one  of  which,  it  will  be  recalled, 
was  watched  with  interest  and  with  pride  by  the  American 
people.  These  voyages  began  when  Peary  was  a  young  man  in 
the  navy,  and  were  pursued  with  a  persistency  and  determina¬ 
tion  in  every  way  creditable  to  the  American  spirit : 

MEMORANDUM  OE  PEARY’S  NORTHERN  VOYAGES. 

1886.  May  to  November  ;  about  seven  months  :  Penetrated  100  miles 
on  the  inland  ice  of  Greenland  east  of  Disco  Bay,  about  70°  N.  lati¬ 
tude  ;  altitude,  7,500  feet. 

1S91-1892.  June,  1S91,  to  September,  1892 ;  about  sixteen  months : 
Right  leg  broken  on  voyage  north.  E'ive-hundred-mile  march  out  and 
same  distance  back,  across  northern  part  of  Greenland,  discovering 
Independence  Bay  on  the  northeastern  coast. 

1893-1S95.  July,  1893,  to  September,  1895 ;  about  twenty-seven 
months  :  Entire  party  except  Peary  and  two  men  returned  at  end  of 
first  year.  Spring  of  1895  Peary  repeated  the  march  across  northern 
end  of  Greenland  and  gained  some  miles  beyond  his  farthest  of  1892. 
Discovered  the  great  Cape  York  meteorites  and  brought  the  two  smaller 
ones  back  with  him. 

1896.  July-October ;  about  three  months :  Unsuccessful  attempt  to 
bring  home  largest  of  the  Cape  York  meteorites. 

1897.  July-October ;  about  three  months  :  Brought  home  largest  of 
the  Cape  York  meteorites— the  Ahnigito,  the  largest  in  the  world — - 

weighing  about  90  tons. 

1898-1902.  July,  1898-October,  1902;  about  four  years,  three  and  a 
half  months :  During  this  time  made  four  separate  attempts  to  get 
north,  resulting  in  the  rounding  of  the  northern  end  of  Greenland  and 
the  attainment  of  the  latitude  of  83.59°  north  of  the  extreme  north¬ 
ern  point  of  Greenland  ;  also  the  attainment  of  the  latitude  of  84.17° 
north  of  the  northern  point  of  Grant  Land.  All  the  instruments,  rec¬ 
ords,  private  papers  of  the  Lady  Franklin  expedition  at  Fort  Conger 
brought  home. 

1905-1906.  July,  1905-November,  1906;  about  seventeen  months: 
Highest  north,  87°  6'.  attained  in  this  journey. 

1908-1909.  July,  1908-Septembcr,  1909 ;  about  fifteen  months :  At¬ 
tainment  of  the  pole. 

34239—8852 


7 


SUMMARY. 


Eight  voyages,  six  attempts  to  reach  the  pole,  and  some  twelve 
years  spent  inside  the  Arctic  Circle. 

Degrees 

north 

latitude. 


1886 

1892 

1895 

1899 

1900 
1902 
1906 
1909 


69.  00 
81.  35 
81.  40 
81.  50 

83.  59 

84.  17 
87.  60 
90.  00 


EXPLORER  COMPELLED  TO  RAISE  FUNDS. 

In  connection  with  all  voyages  prior  to  the  last  one  of  1908- 
1909,  it  has  been  recklessly  charged  that  Peary  profited  by  the 
result  of  his  labors.  It  is  not  altogether  surprising  that  a  man 
who  writes  for  magazines  or  who  delivers  lectures  should  be 
paid  for  it,  and  there  is  a  mild  suspicion  that  some  men  with 
brains,  literary  attainments,  scientific  or  special  information, 
actually  do  take  advantage  of  their  opportunities  to  make  a 
living  in  this  wray ;  but  in  the  case  of  Peary,  I  am  advised  that 
all  the  money  he  was  able  to  make  by  lectures,  magazine  arti¬ 
cles,  and  the  publication  of  books — all  of  which  contributed  to 
the  sum  of  human  knowledge — went  into  the  expenses  of  his 
expeditions  from  which  he  was  not  released  until  about  three 
years  ago.  At  that  time  he  was  still  in  debt  personally  to  make 
good  obligations  he  had  incurred  in  his  venturous  undertakings. 
This  applies  particularly  to  the  case  of  the  Cape  York  meteor¬ 
ites,  concerning  the  sale  of  which  there  has  been  some  criticism. 
The  expense  of  the  three  expeditions,  resulting  in  the  recovery 
of  these  meteorites — the  largest  in  the  world — is  said  to  have 
been  nearly  or  quite  equal  to  the  $40,000  that  was  received  for 
them.  Meanwhile  the  work  of  exploration,  of  determining  coast 
lines,  of  making  soundings  and  tidal  observations,  was  going  on 
for  the  credit  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States.  Through 
his  persistency  in  raising  money  for  these  expeditions  Peary  was 
enabled  to  make  large  contributions  of  material  to  the  domain 
of  natural  history.  He  made  many  soundings  in  new  waters, 
the  most  important  of  which  was  a  line  of  soundings  from  Cape 
Columbia  to  the  North  Pole.  All  of  this  work,  apart  from  its 
value  to  commerce,  was  distinctly  naval  work,  as  had  been 
authorized  with  the  Rogers,  the  Alliance,  the  Yantic,  all  under 
the  command  of  naval  officers;  the  ill-fated  Jeannette  and  the 
Wilkes  expeditions  to  the  Antarctic. 

Peary’s  ability  as  a#  commander  is  thoroughly  demonstrated 
by  the  success  of  his  various  expeditions.  Twice  his  ship  was 
driven  through  the  ice  to  the  highest  point  ever  reached  in  the 
Western  Hemisphere  and  to  a  point  higher  than  any  ship  has  ever 
attained  under  her  own  steam.  Many  other  ships  attempted 
this  same  voyage,  four  of  them  accomplished  part  of  it  and  two 
were  lost.  As  to  hi§  work  being  civil  and  distinct  from  naval, 
it  may  be  observed  that  Peary’s  bringing  of  the  Roosevelt  home 
in  the  fall  of  1906,  fighting  her  way  through  the  heavy  arctic 
ice,  from  Cape  Union  to  Littleton  Island  and  thence  down  along 
the  savage  Baffin  Land  and  Labrador  coasts,  encountering 
storm  after  storm,  with  rudder  and  sternposts  torn  away,  pro 
pellers  crippled,  and  pumps  going  constantly,  has  been  charac¬ 
terized  as  one  of  the  ablest,  most  resourceful  and  courageous 
34239—8852 


8 


affairs  of  its  kind  in  the  annals  of  arctic  exploration.  Indeed, 
it  was  the  wonder  of  everyone  who  saw  the  ship  when  it  was 
taken  out  on  the  dry  dock. 

THE  EXPEDITION  THAT  SUCCEEDED. 

But  as  to  the  expedition  that  was  successful,  the  expedition 
of  1908-9’,  resulting  in  the  discovery  of  the  Pole.  In  the  light 
of  the  records,  divested  of  all  the  bitterness  and  contention 
and  misrepresentation  that  have  been  aroused  with  regard  to 
Peary,  it  would  seem  that  officially  there  could  be  no  possible 
foundation  for  a  refusal  to  acknowledge  the  work  of  this 
American  discoverer.  He  fitted  out  this  last  great  expedition 
at  his  own  expense  and  that  of  his  friends,  and  was  then 
granted  leave  of  absence  by  the  Navy  Department,  taking  with 
him  instructions  which  gave  him  an  unqualified  official  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  Government  and  which  would  seem  to  leave  no 
excuse  for  further  denying  him  recognition. 

Here,  first  of  all,  are  the  orders  of  the  Acting  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States : 

Navy  Department, 

Washington ,  July  2,  1908. 

Sir  :  The  unexpired  portion  of  the  leave  of  absence  for  a  period  of 
three  years  granted  you  in  the  department's  letter  of  April  9,  1907,  is 
hereby  revoked. 

Report  by  letter  to  the  Chief  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  for 
instruction  in  making  tidal  observations  along  Grant  Land  and  Green¬ 
land  shores  of  the  polar  seas. 

Respectfully,  Truman  H.  Newberry, 

Acting  Secretary. 

Civil  Engineer  Robert  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy,  South  Harp  swell.  Me. 

The  White  House,  July  6,  1908. 

Approved. 

T.  Roosevelt,  President. 

Received  July  11,  1908,  5  p.  m. 

R.  E.  P. 

sanctioned  by  the  president. 

On  the  following  day  the  President  of  the  United  States  in¬ 
structed  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor  as  to  the  duties 
to  which  Mr.  Peary  was  to  be  assigned,  as  follows : 

Oyster  Bay,  N.  Y.,  July  3,  1908. 

Sir  :  Civil  Engineer  R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy,  has  been  di¬ 
rected  by  the  Navy  Department  to  report  by  letter  to  the  Superintendent 
of  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  and  you  are  requested 
to  direct  this  official  to  order  him  to  make  tidal  observations  along  the 
Grant  Land  dnd  Greenland  shore  of  the  polar  sea  during  his  projected 
cruise  in  the  Roosevelt. 

It  is  believed  that  such  observations  will  throw  light  upon  the 
Coast  Survey  theory  of  the  existence  of  a  considerable  land  mass  in  the 
unknown  area  of  the  Arctic  Ocean.  « 

Respectfully,  Theodore  Roosevelt. 

Hon.  Oscar  S.  Straus, 

Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 

PEARY  ARCTIC  CLUB  COOPERATES. 

In  chronological  order  I  now  submit  certain  telegrams,  let¬ 
ters,  orders,  and  correspondence  which  clearly  show  govern¬ 
mental  approval  of  the  work  of  Civil  Engineer  Peary  in  con¬ 
ducting  an  expedition  toward  which  it  was  making  no  contribu¬ 
tion  whatever,  except  the  salary  of  Mr.  Peary,  and  of  its  official 
appreciation  of  the  reports  made  and  the  information  concern¬ 
ing  new  geographical  fields,  presented  by  him.  It  will  be  ob¬ 
served  that  the  Peary  Arctic  Club,  which  had  helped  to  finance 
the  expedition,  figures  in  this  correspondence.  The  excuse  for 
this,  if  it  be  necessary  to  make  an  excuse,  lies  in  the  fact  that 
34239—8852 


9 


the  Government  paid  nothing  toward  the  expedition  and  that 
the  Peary  Arctic  Club  did.  It  is  therefore  quite  natural  that 
the  Peary  Arctic  Club  should  expect  to  share  in  some  of  the 
information  which  Peary  was  to  obtain,  although  it  can  not  be 
denied  that  Peary  followed  his  instructions ;  di^Lreport  to  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  and  that  his  reports  Avere  entirely 
satisfactory.  Reference  is  made  particularly  to  the  letter  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  under  date  of  October  5,  1909,  re¬ 
questing  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor  to  forward  to 
the  Hydrographic  Office— 

The  results  cf  the  late  expedition  carried  on  by  Civil  Engineer  Robert 
E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Peary  Arctic 
Club — 

It  being  stated  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  this  letter 
that  the  Government  for  many  years  had — 

issued  through  the  Hydrographic  Office  under  this  department  a  chart 
of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  showing  the  tracks  of  search  parties  and  the  prog¬ 
ress  of  discovery. 

Attention  is  also  called  to  the  letter  of  the  Acting  Secretary 
of  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  certifying,  under 
date  of  January  15,  1910,  that  Mr.  Peary — 

has  submitted  to  that  bureau  (Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey)  the  records 
of  the  tidal  observations  made  by  him  in  the  Arctics  by  order  of  Presi¬ 
dent  Roosevelt — - 

And  that — 

these  observations  are  reported  to  have  been  thoroughly  made  and  are 
satisfactory  and  of  great  value. 

[Telegram.] 

New  York,  July  2,  IMS. 

Assistant  Superintendent  Perktns, 

United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  C.: 

I  have  information  that  you  may  be  authorized  to  give  me  instruc¬ 
tion  concerning  tidal  observations  north  coast  Grant  Land  and  Green¬ 
land.  Will  two  or  three  days’  personal  instruction  at  your  office  be  de¬ 
sirable  for  my  assistants.  Kindly  wire. 

R.  E.  Peary. 


^REPORTED  TO  SECRETARY  OF  COMMERCE  AND  LABOR. 

Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Washington,  July  1,  1008. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  state  that  in  response  to  the  directions 
issued  to  the  Navy  Department,  Civil  Engineer  R.  E.  Peary,  United 
States  Navy,  called  in  person  at  the  office  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey  and  informed  himself  fully  of  the  views  and  requirements  of 
that  office  in  regard  to  tidal  observations  along  the  Grant  Land  and 
Greenland  shores  of  the  polar  sea,  and  expressed  his  intention  to  make 
every  effort  to  collect  the  desired  information. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant,  Oscar  S.  Straus, 

Secretary. 

The  President,  Oyster  Bay,  N.  Y. 

Note  :  Commander  Peary  called  at  the  Coast  Survey  Office  on  .Tune 
18  and  on  July  8.  Mr.  McMillan  reported  and  spent  that  day  and  the 
morning  of  July  9  under  the  instruction  of  Doctor  Harris. 


Eagle  Island, 

South  Harpswell,  Me.,  July  12,  1908. 

Sir  :  In  compliance  with  orders  of  the  Navy  Department,  copy  of 
which  I  inclose,  I  beg  herewith  to  report  to  you  for  instructions  in 
making  tidal  observations  along  Grant  Land  and  Greenland  shores  of 
the  polar  seas. 

Very  respectfully,  R.  E.  Peary, 

Civil  Engineer,  United  States  Navy. 


Chief  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  O. 

34239—8852 


10 


COAST  AND  GEODETIC  SURVEY  ADVISED. 

Eagle  Island, 

South  Harps  well.  Me.,  July  12,  1908. 

My  Dear  Mr.  Tittmann  :  The  orders,  copy  of  which  I  inclose,  were 
received  by  me  only  last  evening,  having  been  sent  from  Washington  to 
South  Harpswell,  then  to  New  York,  then  back  here  in  pursuit  of  me. 

Otherwise,  ^should  have  reported  to  you  sooner. 

I  am  leaving  here  to-morrow  morning,  the  13th,  for  Sydney,  and  am 
due  there  Tuesday  evening,  the  14th. 

If  the  Roosevelt  makes  good  time  going  east  she  will  probably  reach 
Sydney  Tuesday  and  depart  Wednesday. 

This  would  make  mail  communication  from  you  impracticable,  and  I 
beg  to  suggest  that  you  wire  me  instructions  and  follow. these  with  writ¬ 
ten  instructions,  which,  in  the  event  that  I  am  delayed  in  leaving 
Sydney,  may  reach  me,  or  otherwise  will  be  received  and  held  by  Mrs. 
Peary. 

With  best  regards  to  Mr.  Perkins,  Doctor  Harris,  and  yourself,  I  am, 
Very  sincerely, 

R.  E.  Peary. 


Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  July  lk,  1908. 

Sir  :  Your  letter  of  July  12,  reporting  for  instructions  in  making 
tidal  observations  along  the  Grant  Land  and  Greenland  shore  of  the 
Polar  Sea,  has  been  this  day  duly  received. 

Detailed  instructions  were  sent  to  you  by  Mr.  McMillan  on  July  9, 
1908. 

Respectfully,  O.  H.  Tittmann, 

Superintendent. 

Robert  E.  Peary, 

Commander,  United  States  Navy,  Commanding 

Steamer  Roosevelt,  Sydney,  Nova  Scotia. 


detailed  official  instructions. 

Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  July  9,  1908. 

Sir  :  In  pursuance  of  the  orders  of  the  President,  transmitted  through 
the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  you  will  please  have  tidal  ob¬ 
servations  made  along  the  Grant  Land  and  Greenland  shore  of  the  Polar 
Sea  during  your  projected  cruise  in  the  Roosevelt. 

The  following  directions  for  observing  tides  in  arctic  regions  will  be 
followed,  as  far  as  possible,  by  the  observer. 

Make  hourly  or  half  hourly  readings  of  the  height  of  the  water’s  sur¬ 
face  above  a  fixed  datum  by  means  of  a  fixed  stall  or  other  form  of 
gauge  for  periods  varying  from  one  day  to  one  or  more  months  at  a  sta¬ 
tion  according  to  circumstances. 

Refer  all  observations  extending  over  more  than  a  few  days  to  one 
or  more  permanent  bench  marks  upon  the  shore. 

The  kind  of  time  should  be  distinctly  specified.  Wherever  practicable, 
the  observations  should  extend  through  all  twenty-four  hours  of  the  day. 

If  the  observations  continue  only  a  day  or  two,  they  will  be  of  greater 
value  if  made  near  the  time  of  greatest  northern  or  southern  decli¬ 
nation  of  the  moon. 

At  or  near  the  following  places  observations  are  especially  wanted : 

Points  as  far  northward  as  possible. 

Points  as  far  vrestward  as  possible. 

Cape  Columbia.® 

Cape  Sheridan.® 

Cape  Brevoort.® 

Cape  Bryant.® 

Cape  May. 

Some  point  on  northern  coast  of  Ilazen  Land. 

Some  point  as  far  eastward  as  possible.® 

Some  point  near  the  head  of  Greely  Fiord. 

Sketches  of  specimen  gauges  for  arctic  work  and  suggestions  are  given 
in  accompanying  memoranda.  The  sketches  are  taken  from  the  arctic 
work  of  Hall,  Greely,  and  Ziegler  expeditions. 

Further  directions  for  observing  tides  are  given  in  the  blank  books 
for  tidal  records  and  in  accompanying  memoranda  ;  the  latter  are  prac- 

®  These  four  stations  and  Fort  Conger  occupied  as  tidal  stations  by 
Peary. 

34239—8852 


11 


tically  included  in  the  introduction  to  the  Coast  Survey  Tide  Tables  and 
in  Chapter  I,  Appendix  No.  9,  1S97. 

Respectfully,  O.  H.  Tittmann, 

Supe  rintendent. 

Robert  E.  Peary,, 

Commander ,  United  States  Navy,  Commanding 

Steamer  Roosevelt ,  Sydney,  Nova  Scotia. 

Peary  Arctic  Club,  North  Polar  Expedition,  1908, 

Steamship  Roosevelt,  July  17,  1908,  Sydney,  N.  S. 
Sir  :  I  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  letter  of  July  14. 

I  beg  to  acknowledge  also  receipt  o£  your  instructions  and  those  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Bureau  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 

Very  respectfully, 

R.  E.  Peary, 

Civil  Engineer,  United  States  Navy. 

Supt.  O.  H.  Tittmann, 

United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  C. 


the  expedition  starts. 

Peary  Arctic  Club,  North  Polar  Expedition,  1908, 

S.  S .  Roosevelt,  8-17,  1908, 

Etah ,  North  Greenland,  Lat.  78°  18'  N. 

Sir:  I  beg  to  report  my  arrival  here  August  11.  Leaving  Sydney 
July  17,  Cape  York  Bay  was  reached  near  midnight  of  July  31. 

The  voyage  north  across  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  was  favorable,  the 
straits  of  Belle  Isle  were  free  of  fog,  rendering  the  passage  easy,  and 
favoring  weather  was  experienced  along  the  Labrador  coast,  which  was 
followed  as  far  as  Turnavik  Island,  latitude  55°  18'  N.,  with  two  inter¬ 
mediate  stops  for  whale  meat. 

From  Turnavik  a  course  was  set  for  Greenland  coast,  and  about 
twelve  hours  of  heavy  weather  ensued.  After  that  the  weather  was 
moderate  again  until  midnight  of  Saturday,  the  25th.  Following  this 
were  three  days  of  strong  northerly  wind  and  sea,  accompanied  by  rain 
and  fog,  which  rendered  the  negotiation  of  Davis  Strait  somewhat  disa¬ 
greeable  and  arduous.  From  Holsteinberg  the  weather  was  favorable 
again,  an  energetic  southerly  wind  of  some  hours’  duration  off  Turnavik 
materially  assisting  us  on  our  way. 

Duck  Islands  were  passed  just  before  midnight  of  July  30,  and  Mel¬ 
ville  Bay  entered  in  brilliant  sunlit  weather,  with  light  air  from  the 
north. 

This  weather  held  to  the  east  side  of  Cape  York  Bay,  which  was 
reached  11.30  p.  m.,  July  31,  no  ice  having  been  seen  on  the  passage 
across  the  bay.  In  fact,  no  ice  has  been  seen  in  the  entire  voyage  ex¬ 
cept  a  narrow  string  of  light,  scattered  ice  off  the  Labrador  coast  the 
evening  of  the  23d. 

Heavy  weather  and  an  unusual  swell  held  us  here  till  early  Sunday 
morning,  when  the  ship  crossed  to  Cape  York,  latitude  75°  55'  N.  Here 
I  learned  that  the  Erik  had  passed  the  day  before,  but  was  unable  to 
get  into  the  settlement.  Eskimos  and  dogs  were  taken  on  here  and  the 
ship’s  tanks  filled  with  water  from  the  glacier.  We  then  steamed  north 
to  North  Star  Bay,  where  I  found  the  Erik. 

Taking  on  more  Eskimos  and  dogs  here,  the  ships  steamed  in  com¬ 
pany  to  the  northwest  end  of  Northumberland  Island,  where  I  boarded 
the  Erik  to  visit  the  settlements  at  the  head  of  Inglefiold  Gulf,  while 
the  Roosevelt  proceeded  direct  to  Etah  to  overhaul  and  trim  ship  for 
the  ice. 

I  rejoined  the  Roosevelt  with  the  Erik  late  August  11,  with  addi¬ 
tional  Eskimos  and  dogs  and  some  35  walrus.  All  dogs  were  landed  on 
an  island  in  Etah  Fiord,  the  Roosevelt  was  coaled  from  the  Erik,  coal 
landed  for  the  return  trip,  and  two  men  landed  with  supplies  for  the 
relief  of  Doctor  Cook. 

The  season  has  been  an  unusually  cold  and  stormy  one,  with  almost 
continuous  wind  and  frequent  snow. 

I  have  on  board  a  good  supply  of  Eskimos,  dogs,  and  walrus  meat. 
All  on  board  are  well.  I  expect  to  steam  north  some  time  to-night. 

Very  respectfully, 

R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy. 

Superintendent  United  States  Coast 

and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Similar  report  sent  to  honorable  Secretary  United  States  Navy. 

34239—8852 


12 


HARMONY  OF  UNDERSTANDING. 

TJp  to  this  point,  Mr.  Speaker,  it  has  been  impossible  to 
discern  any  lack  of  formality  or  courtesy  as  between  Mr. 
Peary  and  his  superior  officers  with  regard  to  his  instructions 
or  his  own  desire  to  comply  therewith.  What  the  President 
and  the  Navy  Department  wanted  Mr.  Peary  to  do  is  clearly 
stated,  and  the  detailed  orders  issued  by  the  Superintendent  of 
the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  under  the  instructions  from  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  are  sufficiently  explicit. 
Mr.  Peary  is  not  told  that  he  may  not  acquire  information 
over  and  above  his  instructions ;  that  he  may  not  make  photo¬ 
graphs;  or  that  he  may  not  take  notes  for  his  own  personal  use; 
or  write  home  to  his  wrife  the  interesting  adventures  which  are 
evidently  in  store  for  him.  What  the  department  wanted  and 
what  they  instructed  him  to  do  is  specifically  stated,  and  no¬ 
where  in  the  correspondence  that  has  been  presented  or  that 
is  yet  to  come  is  there  any  suggestion  that,  so  far  as  his  re¬ 
sponsibility  to  the  Government  was  concerned,  he  did  not  live 
up  to  the  spirit  and  the  letter  of  his  instructions.  And  before 
passing  to  the  records  and  correspondence  which  followed  the 
announcement  of  the  discovery  of  the  North  Pole,  may  it  not 
be  fair  to  observe  that  those  who  have  since  criticised  Mr. 
Peary  might  fairly  make  allowances  for  that  long  period  of 
service  in  the  polar  regions,  which  enabled  him  to  so  adjust  the 
details  of  his  undertaking  from  the  study  of  the  fogs  and  tides 
and  the  acquisition  of  the  peculiar  supplies  required  for  the 
expedition,  to  the  understanding  of  the  Eskimo  language  and  the 
selection  of  Eskimo  dogs,  and  such  traveling  paraphernalia  as 
would  enable  him  in  the  last  dash  to  the  pole  to  exist  at  all, 
let  alone  to  carry  the  instruments  of  precision,  the  sounding 
wire,  and  other  material  essential  to  the  pursuit  and  determi¬ 
nation  of  exact  scientific  knowledge?  And  if  credit  be  given 
him  for  this,  and  for  the  long  nights  and  days  of  vigil,  as  of 
hardship,  may  we  not  assume  that  he  would  be  possessed  of 
new  thoughts  and  new  information  wholly  useless  to  the  Gov¬ 
ernment,  and  which  might  yet  be  wisely  and  justly  applied  to 
the  purposes  of  the  Peary  Arctic  Club  or  to  the  public  through 
the  magazines?  I  assume  it  was  Peary’s  purpose  to  collect 
information  over  and  above  the  scientific  requirements  of  his 
instructions,  and  I  can  not  see  how  it  can  fairly  be  charged 
that,  having  raised  the  money  for  his  expedition  through  the 
Peary  Arctic  Club  and  others,  he  or  they  can  rightfully  be 
denied  the  proceeds  of  that  information,  his  duties  with  the 
Government  having  been  duly  and  faithfully  performed. 

A  HOPEFUL  FAREWELL. 

As  showing  the  spirit  that  prevailed  at  the  time  of  Peary’s 
departure,  when  no  difference  of  opinion  seemed  to  exist  as  be¬ 
tween  the  Government  allowing  “  leave-of-absenee  pay  ”  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  Peary  Arctic  Club  bearing  the  expense  of 
the  expedition  upon  the  other,  I  introduce  the  following  state¬ 
ment  from  the  New  York  Times.  It  speaks  briefly  of  the  diffi¬ 
culty  Peary  had  raising  his  expedition  fund — a  matter  which 
ought  not  to  be  lost  sight  of  in  the  present  controversy, 
34239—8852 


13 


Here  is  the  article: 

PEARY  HAD  DECIDED  NOT  TO  TURN  BACK - HE  INTENDED  TO  REMAIN  IN 

THE  POLAR  REGIONS  TILL  HE  REACHED  HIS  GOAL - HIS  SHIP  A  STANCH 

ONE - PRESIDENT  ROOSEVELT  BADE  HIM  FAREWELL - EARLY  REPORTS 

INDICATED  THAT  HE  FOUND  FAVORABLE  CONDITIONS. 

When  Commander  Robert  E.  Peary  planned  his  latest  and  now  suc¬ 
cessful  trip  in  search  of  the  North  Pole  he  announced  that  he  would 
remain  in  the  polar  regions  until  the  pole  had  been  reached.  It  was  in 
this  frame  of  mind  that  he  started  out  to  raise  enough  money  to  equip 
the  expedition. 

lie  needed  $50,000,  and  had  considerable  difficulty  in  getting  it.  He 
put  in  all  the  money  he  had  himself,  and  relied  upon*  popular  subscrip¬ 
tion  and  his  friends  to  furnish  the  remainder.  Zenas  Crane,  of  Dalton, 
Mass.,  gave  $10,000,  and  others  contributed  liberally.  Even  when  he 
lacked  half  of  the  necessary  amount  Peary  went  ahead  characteristically 
to  get  his  ship  in  order,  feeling  sure  that  the  money  would  come.  It 
came,  and  when  it  did  the  explorer  was  all  ready  to  weigh  anchor  and 
proceed  north. 

The  ship,  the  Roosevelt,  which  the  Peary  Arctic  Club  built  for  the 
explorer  for  his  journey  north  in  1905,  was  completely  overhauled. 
New  engines  and  boilers  were  installed  and  many  changes  suggested 
by  the  explorer’s  previous  experience  carried  out.  The  Roosevelt  was 
first  launched  in  Bucksport,  Me.,  on  March  23,  1905.  The  designer  was 
William  E.  Winant,  of  New  York,  who  worked  from  Peary’s  own  sug¬ 
gestions.  She  is  182  feet  in  length,  with  a  beam  of  35.5  feet,  a  depth 
of  16.3  feet,  and  a  mean  draft,  with  stores,  of  17  feet.  Her  gross 
tonnage  is  614  and  her  estimated  displacement  about  1,500  tons.  She 
is  a  three-masted  fore-and-aft  schooner-rigged  steamship.  She  was 
built  entirely  of  white  oak,  with  treble  frames  close  together,  double 
planked.  Her  walls  are  from  24  to  30  inches  thick.  The  keel,  16 
inches  thick,  is  reinforced  with  false  keels  and  keelson.  Her  heavy 
bow  is  backed  by  12  feet  of  solid  deadwood.  Her  stern,  reinforced 
by  iron,  had  a  long  overhand,  to  protect  the  rudder  from  the  ice,  but 
the  rudder  itself  was  so  arranged  that  it  could  be  lifted  out  of  the 
water  when  jammed  or  entangled. 

This,  then,  was  the  formidable  ice  ship  that  sailed,  thoroughly  stocked 
for  a  three  years’  stay  in  the  north,  from  the  foot  of  East  Twenty- 
fourth  street  on  July  6,  1908,  with  a  picked  crew,  every  man  determined 
to  follow  their  hardy  commander  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Forty 
guests  of  the  Peary  Arctic  Club  escorted  the  ship  as  far  as  City  Island, 
and  it  then  proceeded  to  Oyster  Bay,  where  Mr.  Peary  had  arranged 
to  have  President  Roosevelt  inspect  the  boat.  Just  before  leaving,  Com¬ 
mander  Peary  discussed  his  journey  with  the  newspaper  men. 

“  I  will  not  promise  anything  before  I  start.”  he  said,  “  except  that 
I  am  going  to  put  into  it  every  bit  of  energy,  moral,  mental,  and  physi¬ 
cal,  that  I  possess.  I  feel  confident  that  in  any  case  I  shall  carry  the 
American  flag  farther  north  than  ever.  Unless  the  unforeseen  happens 
I  shall  plant  the  Stars  and  Stripes  at  the  pole.  If  conditions  are  no 
worse  in  the  next  season  than  they  were  during  the  last  voyage  I  shall 
hope  to  accomplish  the  object  of  the  expedition  and  return  in  about 
fifteen  months — that  is,  in  October,  1909.  I  am  prepared,  however,  for 
a  stay  of  three  years. 

“  The  attainment  of  the  North  and  South  poles  by  American  expedi¬ 
tions  would  be  worth  to  this  country  many  times  the  few  thousands 
expended  just  for  the  closer  bond,  the  deeper  patriotism,  resulting 
when  every  one  of  the  hundred  millions  of  us  could  say,  ‘  The  Stars 
and  Stripes  float  at  both  ends  of  the  earth’s  axis,  and  the  whole  earth 
turns  about  them.’  ” 

The  scientific  equipment  which  Commander  Peary  took  with  him  on 
his  voyage  was  said  at  the  time  to  be  the  most  complete  ever  taken  to 
the  polar  regions.  It  consisted  of  all  the  instruments  needed  in 
meteorological,  astronomical,  and  tidal  observations. 

All  the  way  to  Oyster  Bay  the  vessel  got  an  ovation,  and  when  it 
reached  there  President  Roosevelt,  his  wife,  and  family  went  on  board 
and  inspected  it. 

“  Well,  Peary,  good-by,  and  may  you  have  the  best  of  luck,”  said 
President  Roosevelt  as  he  gave  the  explorer’s  hand  a  hearfy  grasp. 

“  Thank  you,”  responded  Peary  with  a  smile.  “  I  never  felt  so  con¬ 
fident  of  success  in  all  these  years  as  I  do  now.” 

The  President  expressed  himself  as  being  heartily  pleased  with 
everything  and  everybody  about  the  ship,  and  shook  bands  with  all  the 
crew.  Captain  Bartlett,  shaking  hands  with  the  President  and  bidding 
him  farewell,  said,  “  It's  ninety  or  nothing  ;  the  North  Pole  or  bust  this 
time.” 

The  Roosevelt,  leaving  Oyster  Bay  on  July  8,  sailed  as  far  as  Sydney, 
Cape  Breton,  without  Commander  Peary,  who  traveled  there  by  train, 
after  returning  to  New  York  to  arrange  some  final  details  of  the  trip. 

34239—8852 


14 


From  time  to  time  on  his  journey  north  Peary  sent  dispatches  to 
the  New  York  Times  telling  of  his  progress.  Writing  from  Hawkes 
Harbor  July  21  to  the  Times,  he  said  : 

“  The  weather  has  been  very  favorable,  the  ship  has  behaved  well, 
and  the  crew  and  party  appear  to  be  of  the  right  material.  I  have 
found  abundant  whale  meat  here,  and,  in  company  with  the  Erik,  we 
start  north  to-day.” 

In  another  letter  to  the  Times  of  the  same  date  the  ambitious  ex¬ 
plorer  outlined  the  plans  for  the  conquest  of  the  South  Pole. 

“  I  believe  in  finishing  the  first  cherry  before  making  a  bite  at  the 
second,”  he  wrote.  “  I  have,  however,  felt  for  some  time  that  the  time 
was  nearly  or  quite  ripe  for  this  country  to  enter  the  arena  of  antarctic 
exploration  and  endeavor  to  obtain  its  share  of  the  honors  and  scien¬ 
tific  information  yet  awaiting  the  explorer  in  that  region.” 

He  said  that  as  far  back  as  May  20,  1908  ;  in  a  communication  to 
H.  L.  Bridgman,  he  had  advocated  the  organization  of  an  antarctic  ex¬ 
pedition,  in  which,  however,  he  did  not  intend  to  take  part. 

A  message  received  at  the  Arctic  Club  on  September  25  told  of  the 
Erik,  the  Roosevelt  convoy,  striking  an  iceberg  off  Etah,  North  Green¬ 
land.  The  dispatch  added  that  the  Roosevelt  had  left  Etah  on  August 
17  and  had  reported  that  the  prospects  of  getting  far  north  were  good. 
The  Erik  was  repaired  at  Turnavik  Harbor  and  proceeded  south. 

On  October  9  last,  Henry  Johnson,  an  able  seaman  of  the  Roosevelt, 
arrived  in  New  York  from  Greenland,  bringing  the  first  oral  news  of 
the  expedition.  He  returned  because  of  an  injury  to  his  knee.  He 
brought  a  letter  from  Peary  to  the  Arctic  Club,  telling  of  the  progress 
the  ship  had  made,  with  photographs  and  other  data.  Johnson  stated 
that  the  Roosevelt  was  hit  by  a  hurricane  off  the  coast  of  Greenland 
on  July  29.  It  opened  the  seams  of  the  ship’s  bow  to  such  an  extent 
that  several  of  the  crew  felt  her  to  be  practically  unseaworthy  for  a 
rough  voyage  among  icebergs.  While  she  was  being  repaired  at  Etah, 
Johnson  said,  her  leaky  bow  caused  apprehension  among  some  of  the 
crew.  When  the  Erik  returned  to  St.  Johns,  however,  her  commander 
reported  that  she  had  left  the  Roosevelt  in  good  shape. 

On  August  11  the  schooner  Jeanie,  purchased  and  equipped  for  a  voyage 
to  Etah,  Peary’s  base  station,  left  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  with  50 
tons  of  coal  and  a  supply  of  provisions,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Samuel  W.  Bartlett,  who  has  headed  other  Peary  and  several  Canadian 
government  expeditions  into  the  arctic.  It  was  the  Jeanie’s  intention 
to  leave  the  coal  at  Etah,  so  that  Peary  could  use  it  for  the  Roosevelt 
when  he  returned  from  his  dash  to  the  pole.  It  was  also  the  intention 
of  the  promoters  of  the  relief  expedition  to  bring  back  Doctor  Cook, 
who  was  then  thought  to  be  lost,  if  he  could  be  found  in  the  arctic 
wilds. 

THE  FIRST  NEWS  IMPARTED. 

We  now  approach  the  period  of  Peary’s  return.  That  another 
explorer  “scooped”  the  world  in  the  announcement  of  the  dis¬ 
covery  is  well  remembered.  The  pomp  and  parades  following 
the  surprising  arrival  of  Doctor  Cook  justified  the  prophecy  of 
David  Hamm  that  we  should  adhere  to  the  Golden  Rule,  only 
we  should  “  do  it  first.”  I  shall  not  dwell  upon  the  fiasco  that 
eventuated.  Copenhagen  is  a  wiser  but  sadder  center  of  science, 
and  the  American  fondness  for  being  fooled  has  again  been 
gratified. 

Peary  did  not  immediately  announce  his  discovery  to  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  ;  he  first  gave  it  to  the  world.  He  was  under  pressure 
which,  perhaps,  compelled  him  to  do  it.  The  world  demanded 
news,  and  there  was  nothing  in  his  instructions  to  prevent  him 
making  the  announcement.  He  might  have  reported  direct  to 
the  Government — perhaps  it  would  have  been  wiser — but  who 
could  keep  such  a  secret?  And  then  again,  perhaps  he  may  not 
have  had  authority  to  incur  the  expense  of  cabling.  At  any 
rate,  the  Government  suffered  no  loss,  nor  could  the  simple 
announcement  in  advance  of  the  records  have  been  of  any  value 
to  it.  The  public  wanted  the  news,  whether  it  came  direct 
from  the  explorer  or  by  the  circuitous  route  of  the  depart¬ 
ments  ;  it  was  such  a  story  as  could  not  be  concealed.  But  there 
was  one  person  to  whom  Peary  did  convey  the  news — the  good 
34239—8852 


15 


wife,  who  had  been  his  companion  upon  previous  explorations 
and  who  was  patiently  awaiting  his  .return.  Something  was 
due  to  her  and  family,  for  they  had  staked  something  upon  the 
enterprise.  Hence  the  following : 

PEARY'S  MESSAGE  TO  HIS  WIFE. 


South  Harpswell,  Me.,  September  6. 
Commander  Robert  E.  Peary  announced  liis  success  in  discovering 
the  North  Pole  to  his  wife,  who  is  summering  at  Eagle  Island  here,  as 
follows  : 

Indian  Harbor,  via  Cape  Ray,  September  6 ,  1909. 


Mrs.  R.  E.  Peary,  South  Harpswell,  He.: 

Have  made  good  at  last.  I  have  the  old  pole. 
Will  wire  again  from  Chateau. 


Am  well.  Love. 


Bert. 


In  replying,  Mrs.  Peary  sent  the  following  dispatch  : 

South  Harpswell,  Me.,  September  6,  1909. 
To  Commander  R.  E.  Peary, 

Steamer  Roosevelt,  Chateau  Bay: 

All  well.  Best  love.  God  biess  you.  Hurry  home. 

Jo. 


STARS  AND  STRIPES  ON  THE  POLE. 


But  after  the  first  flush  of  excitement,  after  the  rumbling 
which  precedes  the  coming  of  the  herd,  the  expansion  of  the 
wave  that  tells  of  the  ship’s  approach,  or,  to  be  blunt  and  under¬ 
standable,  after  the  modern  demand  for  news  had  “  beaten  ” 
official  sanction,  Peary  proceeded,  when  facilities  (the  wireless 
telegraph)  were  at  hand,  to  promptly  notify  the  Government. 
His  telegrams  to  the  President,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  to 
the  Secretary  of  State,  and  their  replies  thereto,  clearly  indi¬ 
cate  the  cordial  and  congratulatory  spirit  that  prevailed.  There 
was  no  suggestion  in  the  proud  messages  that  flashed  back 
across  the  seas  to  the  frozen  north  that  there  had  been  any 
violation  of  instructions,  any  breach  of  official  faith,  or  any 
regret  that  an  awaiting  world  had  been  informed  of  the  glorious 
triumph  of  American  pluck.  In  the  interest  of  truth  and  justice 
it  is  fair  to  recall  these  messages.  In  the  order  of  date,  and 
remembering  the  difficulties  of  transmission  then  existing,  they 
were  as  follows: 

Indian  Harbor,  September  t,  1909. 

William  H.  Taft, 

President  of  the  United  States  of  America, 

White  House,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

Have  honor  place  North  Pole  your  disposal. 

R.  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy. 


Executive  Office, 
Beverly,  Mass.,  September  8,  1909. 

Commander  R.  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy,  North  Sydney,  Nova  Scotia: 

Thanks  for  your  interesting  and  generous  offer.  I  do  not  know  ex¬ 
actly  what  I  could  do  with  it.  I  congratulate  you  sincerely  on  having 
achieved  after  the  greatest  effort  the  object  of  your  trip,  and  I  sincerely 
hope  that  your  observations  will  contribute  substantially  to  scientific 
knowledge.  You  have  added  luster  to  the  name  “American.” 

William  H.  Taft. 

Battle  Harbor,  September  10,  1909. 

Honorable  Secretary  of  State, 

State  Department,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

Respectfully  report  hoisted  Stars  and  Stripes  on  North  Pole  April  6, 
and  formally  took  possession  that  entire  region  and  adjacent  for  and 
in  name  of  President  and  the  United  States  America.  Record  and 
United  States  flag  left  in  possession. 


34239—8852 


Peary. 


16 


Washington,  D.  C.,  September  12,  1909. 

Peary,  Battle  Harbor: 

Congratulations  on  your  successful  efforts. 

Ade,  Acting  Secretary  of  State. 


Battle  Harbor,  September  10,  1909. 
Honorable  Secretary  United  States  Navy, 

A:  ary  Department,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

Respectfully  report  my  return.  Hoisted  navy  ensign  on  North  Pole 
April  6. 

Peary. 


Washington,  D.  C.,  September  9,  1909. 
Commander  Peary,  Battle  Harbor: 

Your  telegraphic  report  received.  Navy  Department  extends  hearty 
congratulations  upon  your  successful  attempt  to  reach  North  Pole. 

Winthrop,  Acting. 


Battle  Harbor,  September  10,  1909. 

Supt.  O.  H.  Tittmann, 

United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  C.: 

Respectfully  report  two  hundred  and  thirty  days’  tidal  observations 
Cape  Sheridan,  and  twenty-eight  days’  Cape  Columbia,  twenty-eight 
days’  Cape  Bryant,  ten  days’  Cape  Morris  Jcsup,  fifteen  days’  Fort  Con¬ 
ger,  simultaneous  with  Sheridan  observations. 

Also  soundings  Cape  Columbia  to  pole,  and  Cape  Morris  Jesup  to  84° 
15'  north  latitude. 

Peary. 

CONGRATULATIONS  FROM  FOREIGN  LANDS. 

The  spirit  of  exultation  which  took  possession  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  heart  was  not  confined  to  this  country.  Foreign  nations 
joined  in  the  acclaim  and  generously  sought  to  honor  the 
intrepid  American.  The  many  messages  and  cablegrams  that 
came  rolling  in  then  are  worth  recalling  now.  Here  are  a  few 
of  them : 

Uccle,  September  8,  1909. 

Peary,  New  Yorlc; 

International  Polar  Commission  addresses  sincerest  congratulations 
to  their  member. 

Cagni,  Nordenskiold,  Lecointe. 


New  York,  September  9,  1909. 

Commander  Peary,  Battle  Harbor: 


Admiral  Sir  George  Nares  cables  to  3rou,  through  the  New  York 
Times,  “  Owing  to  your  well-known  arctic  veracity  all  will  accept  your 
statement  that  you  reached  the  North  Pole.  I  congratulate  you. 
Nares.” 


The  New  York  Times. 


Peary,  Battle  Harbor: 


London,  September  12,  1909. 


Delighted  to  hear  of  your  safe  return.  Warmest  congratulations. 

Darwin, 

President  Royal  Geographical  Society. 


Turin,  September  2h,  1909. 


Commander  Robert  B.  Peary,  Nero  Yorlc: 

May  I  congratulate  you  on  the  result  of  your  expedition.  Am  very 
glad  you  have  succeeded. 

Abruzzi. 


On  Safari,  North  of  Mount  Kenia, 

September  22,  1909. 

Dear  Mr.  Bridgman,  Secretary  Peary  Arctic  Club: 

Your  cable  has  just  been  brought  me  by  a  native  runner,  here  in  my 
camp  by  the  Guars  Nyero.  I  am  writing  to  Mrs.  Peary  and  Captain 
Peary  ;  I  have  no  idea  where  he  is.  I  am  inexpressibly  rejoiced  at  his 
34239—8852 


17 


wonderful  triumph,  and  proud  beyond  measure,  as  an  American,  that 
this,  one  of  the  greatest  feats  of  the  ages,  should  have  been  performed 
by  a  fellow-countryman  of  ours.  It  is  the  great  feat  of  our  generation. 
We  are  all  Captain  Peary’s  debtors — all  of  us  who  belong  to  civilized 
mankind. 

With  heartiest  congratulations,  faithfully,  yours, 

Theodore  Roosevelt. 


The  lapse  of  time  has  not  changed  the  foreign  estimate  of  this 
American  exploit.  There  has  been  ample  opportunity  for  ma¬ 
ture  deliberation,  for  a  hearing  of  all  the  facts,  and  for  an 
abatement  of  all  the  excitement  incident  to  the  discovery  and 
the  contentions  resulting  therefrom,  and  yet  many  of  the  great 
scientific  bodies  of  the  world  are  now  anxious  to  receive  in 
person  the  American  citizen  who  has  excited  their  admiration. 
Two  letters  bearing  upon  this  phase  of  the  question  are  ap¬ 
pended  : 


Royal  Geographical  Society, 

London ,  January  25,  1910. 

Commander  R.  E.  Peary, 

The  Oaklands ,  Washington,  D.  C.,  United  States. 

My  Dear  Peary  :  I  cabled  you  yesterday  that  the  council  of  the 
society  have  decided  to  award  you  a  special  gold  medal,  and  a  silver 
replica  to  the  medal  to  Captain  Bartlett.  The  medal  is  awarded  to  you 
for  having  been  the  first  man  to  lead  an  expedition  to  the  North  Pole, 
and  for  having  undertaken  such  scientific  observations  as  your  oppor¬ 
tunities  permitted.  The  silver  replica  is  awarded  to  Captain  Bartlett, 
who  accompanied  you  as  far  as  88°  north  latitude.  I  need  hardly  say 
with  what  pleasure  it  is  that  I  have  conveyed  to  you  this  information. 
Personally  I  think  it  is  an  honor  which  you  thoroughly  deserve,  after 
reaching  the  goal  for  which  you  have  strived  with  such  perseverance 
and  determination  for  so  many  years. 

lours,  very  truly,  J.  Scott  Keltie,  Secretary. 


[Cablegram .] 

Rome,  February  U,  1910. 

Commander  Peary, 

2019  Columbia  road,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

Council  Italian  Geographical  Society  awarded  you  King  Humbert 
gold  medal  on  account  your  long,  successful  attempts  reach  North  Pole  ; 
silver  medal,  Captain  Bartlett ;  please  wire  if  accept  invitation  lecture 
Rome,  May,  after  London. 

Marquis  Cappelli,  President. 
completing  the  returns. 

When  at  last  the  means  of  communication  were  at  hand,  the 
true  significance  of  Peary’s  exploits  was  unfolded  to  the  coun¬ 
try.  The  unfortunate  newspaper  contention  involving  the  ques¬ 
tion  of  copyright  tended,  in  some  measure,  to  disparage  the 
work  of  the  explorer,  but  returning  to  the  United  States,  and 
preparing  his  material  so  that  his  instructions  might  be  carried 
out  intelligently,  he  presented  his  information  to  his  superior 
officers  in  such  form  and  thoroughness  as  to  evoke  their  highest 
commendation.  A  perusal  of  the  correspondence  taken  from 
the  files  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  and  which 
is  now  submitted,  will  justify  a  reiteration  of  the  statement 
that  no  departmental  fault  was  to  be  found,  or  has  been  found, 
with  the  manner  in  which  Peary  complied  with  his  instructions. 
On  the  contrary,  in  the  light  of  all  the  notoriety  that  has  come 
to  the  explorer,  it  will  be  observed  that  whatever  quarrel  there 
has  been  concerning  his  performance  has  been  in  the  newspapers 
and  magazines,  or  with  the  adherents  of  “  the  absent  one,”  and 
not  in  the  departments  or  with  the  Government  whose  orders 
he  executed.  The  official  correspondence  that  follows  is  re- 
34239—8852 - 2 


18 


spectfully  submitted  to  the  fair  and  candid  judgment  of  the 
American  people : 

The  Peary  Arctic  Club,  “to  reach  the  farthest  northern  point  on  the 
Western  Hemisphere ;  to  promote  and  maintain  explorations  of  the 
polar  regions.”  President,  Thomas  H.  Hubbard ;  vice-president, 
Zenas  Crane.  Organized  January,  1899.  Incorporated  April,  1904. 
Incorporators :  Morris  K.  Jesup ;  Henry  Parish ;  Anton  A.  Raven ; 
John  H.  Flagler ;  Robert  E.  Peary,  civil  engineer,  United  States 
Navy ;  Herbert  L.  Bridgman,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Standard 
Union  Building,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

New  York,  July  9,  1909. 

Sir  :  In  reply  to  your  inquiry,  mail  for  Commander  Peary  should  be 
addressed  to  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  care  of  Capt.  Samuel  W.  Bartlett, 
who,  in  command  of  the  power  schooner  Jeanie,  now  expects  to  leave  that 
port  for  the  north  on  the  25th  instant.  I  judge  this  a  more  speedy  and 
certain  method  than  myself  to  receive  and  forward,  involving  unneces¬ 
sary  delay  here. 

Very  truly,  yours,  H.  L.  Bridgman. 

O.  H.  Tittmann,  Esq., 

Superintendent  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor , 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey ,  Washington ,  D.  G. 


INTEREST  OP  THE  COAST  SURVEY. 

Department  op  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 
Washington ,  September  SO,  1909. 

Commander  R.  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy,  Care  Peary  Arctic  Club,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


Dear  Sir  :  Numerous  statements  having  appeared  in  the  press  re¬ 
ferring  to  a  report  from  you  to  this  bureau,  some  of  which  have  been 
attributed  to  you  personally,  suggest  the  possibility  that  a  preliminary 
report  may  have  been  sent  which  has  failed  to  reach  this  office.  (See 
copy  of  telegram.)  Will  you  please  inform  me  of  the  facts  in  the  case. 

Congratulating  you  most  heartily  upon  your  splendid  accomplish¬ 
ment,  I  am, 

Very  respectfully,  F.  W.  Perkins, 

Acting  Superintendent. 

[Telegram.] 

South  Harpswedl,  Me.,  October  7,  1909. 

Perkins, 

Acting  Chief  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  C.: 


No  report  as  yet  except  preliminary  telegraphic  one.  Shall  forward 
original  tidal  records  and  profile  of  soundings  Columbia  to  Pole  shortly. 

Peary. 


Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  October  7,  1909. 

Commander  R.  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy,  South  Harpswell,  Me. 

Dear  Sir  :  I  beg  to  thank  you  for  your  telegram  of  this  date.  Both 
your  determinations  of  tides  and  depths  will  be  of  greatest  use  in  the 
discussion  of  the  currents  in  that  region  and  will  be  highly  prized. 

Very  truly,  yours, 

F.  W.  Perkins, 

Acting  Superintendent. 


NAVY  DEPARTMENT  OBTAINS  DATA. 

Navy  Department, 
Washington,  October  5,  1909. 

Sir  :  The  Government  has  for  many  years  issued  through  the  Hydro- 
graphic  Office  under  this  department  a  chart  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  show¬ 
ing  the  tracks  of  search  parties  and  the  progress  of  discovery. 

2.  The  results  of  former  expeditions  toward  the  North  Pole  have  been 
committed  to  the  Hydrographic  Office  and  incorporated  into  the  official 
chart.  It  is,  therefore,  requested  that  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey 
furnish  for  this  purpose  the  results  of  the  late  expenditions  carried  on 
by  Civil  Engineer  R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Peary  Arctic  Club. 

Very  respectfully,  G.  v.  L.  Meyer. 

The  honorable  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 

34239—8852 


19 


Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Washington,  October  8,  1909. 

Sir  :  In  reply  to  your  letter  of  October  5,  1909,  I  have  the  honor  to 
state  that  the  Coast  and  Goedetic  Survey  will  furnish  for  the  use  of  the 
Navy  Department  at  the  earliest  practicable  date  such  portions  of  the 
results  of  the  late  expedition  carried  on  by  Civil  Engineer  It.  E.  Peary, 
United  States  Navy,  as  he  may  furnish  that  bureau.  No  results  have 
as  yet  been  received. 

Respectfully,  Ormsby  McHarg, 

Acting  Secretary. 

The  honorable  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


APPLYING  RESULTS  TO  PUBLIC  USE. 

Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  October  80,  1909. 

Sir  :  I  inclose  a  photograph  of  the  profile  of  soundings  taken  by  the 
Peary  expedition  upon  the  recent  dash  to  the  pole,  together  with  a 
copy  of  a  letter  just  received  from  Commander  Peary  in  regard  to  other 
soundings,  which  will  be  of  value  to  you  in  the  preparation  of  the 
chart  of  the  polar  region,  to  which  you  referred  by  ’phone  some  days 
since. 

The  suggestion  that  Professor  McMillan  be  called  to  Washington  to 
assist  in  working  up  the  notes  is  a  good  one,  but  there  is  no  appropria¬ 
tion  available  in  the  C.oast  Survey  which  could  be  applied  to  this  pur¬ 
pose.  Yours  possibly  has  greater  flexibility. 

When  the  profile  of  soundings,  which  is  inclosed,  was  sent  to  me,  it 
was  with  the  understanding  that  it  was  to  be  kept  strictly  private  for 
the  present,  but  from  Commander  Peary’s  letter  of  the  29th  I  gather 
that  he  has  no  objection  to  their  being  sent  to  you,  but  I  presume,  with 
the  understanding,  that  they  are  not  to  be  given  to  the  press. 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 

F.  W.  Perkins 

The  Chief  of  the  Hydrographic  Office, 

Navy  Department,  Washington,  D.  C. 


[Telegram.] 

Portland,  Me.,  October  18,  1909. 

Supt.  F.  W.  Perkins, 

United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

Tidal  and  meteorological  records  and  profile  of  soundings  leaving 
Portland  to-day  by  express. 

Peary. 


Soundings  from  Cape  Columbia  to  pole — Peary  Arctic  Club  polar  expe¬ 
dition,  1908-9. 


Sounding  by — 

Latitude. 

Fathoms. 

Remarks. 

83 

7 

0 

Marvin . . 

83 

10 

98 

Edge  of  glacial  fringe. 

Marvin  and  McMillan . 

83 

25 

95 

Bartlett . 

83 

53 

110 

Edge  of  continental  shell. 

Marvin . . 

84 

29 

825 

Bo . 

84 

39 

580 

Bo . 

85 

23 

310 

„ 

Bo . 

85 

33 

700 

No  bottom. 

Bartlett . . 

87 

15 

1,260 

Bo. 

Peary . 

89 

55 

1,500 

Bo. 

October  18,  1909. 


R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy. 


March  16,  1910. 

I  hereby  certify  that  this  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original. 

[seal.]  Andrew  Braid, 

Assistant  in  Charge  of  Office. 


34269 — 8852 


20 


EXPRESSING  THE  TIDAL  RECORDS. 

Eagle  Island,  South  Harpswell,  Me., 

October  18 ,  1909. 

Sir  :  Referring  to  my  telegram,  I  am  sending  you  by  express  the  tidal 
records  of  the  Peary  Arctic  Club’s  recent  North  Polar  Expedition. 

Owing  to  the  unfortunate  death  of  Prof.  Ross  G.  Marvin,  some  of  the 
chronometer  comparisons,  particularly  of  the  Cape  Bryant  observations, 
are  missing. 

These  comparisons  are  undoubtedly  among  Professor  Marvin’s  pri¬ 
vate  papers,  and  if  so.  will  be  obtained  from  his  relatives  later. 

Prof.  Donald  B.  McMillan  took  many  of  the  observations  and  is 
familiar  with  them  all,  and  can  come  to  Washington  to  see  you  any 
time  you  may  consider  it  advisable. 

I  am  writing  him  now  to  communicate  with  you  at  once  and  to  keep 
you  posted  as  to  his  address. 

I  am  also  sending  you  profile  of  soundings  from  Cape  Columbia  to 
within  5  miles  of  the  pole. 

If  such  request  is  permissible,  I  will  respectfully  request  that  this 
profile  and  complete  set  of  soundings  be  not  published  at  present. 

With  best  regards,  I  am, 

Very  respectfully,  R.  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy. 

Acting  Superintendent  F.  W.  Perkins, 

United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  D.  C. 


PEARY'S  NOTES  ON  SOUNDINGS. 

The  sounding  equipment  of  the  expedition  consisted  of  two  reels  of 
specially  made  piano  wire  of  1,000  fathoms  each  and  three  approxi¬ 
mately  20-pound  leads,  with  clam-shell  device  for  grasping  samples  of 
the  bottom.  These  reels  were  arranged  to  be  fitted  quickly  to  the  up- 
standers  of  a  sledge  when  making  a  sounding  and  had  handles  for  reel¬ 
ing  in  the  wire  and  lead. 

One  of  these  reels  and  leads  were  carried  by  Bartlett  with  his  ad¬ 
vance  party,  and  the  other  reel  and  two  leads  by  the  main  party. 

Portions  of  the  wire  and  the  two  leads  were  lost  at  various  times  in 
hauling  up,  owing,  probably,  to  kinks  in  the  wire. 

When  the  sounding  at  85°  83'  was  made  700  fathoms  only  were  left 
of  the  sounding  wire  of  the  main  party,  and  Bartlett,  with  the  other 
thousand  fathoms,  was  in  advance  and  inaccessible. 

In  hauling  up  the  wire  from  this  sounding  it  parted  again,  and  some 
200  fathoms,  together  with  two  pickax  heads  and  a  steel  sledge  shoe, 
which  had  been  used  to  carry  it  down,  were  lost. 

When  Marvin  turned  back  the  Captain’s  1,000  fathoms  and  the  re¬ 
maining  500  fathoms  of  the  other  reel  were  combined. 

When  Bartlett  made  the  sounding  at  87°  15'  I  gave  him  explicit  in¬ 
structions  to  use  the  utmost  caution  in  regard  to  the  wire,  in  order 
not  to  lose  any  more  of  it,  as  I  wanted  it  all  for  a  sounding  at  the 
pole,  should  I  succeed  in  getting  there. 

Acting  upon  these  instructions.  Bartlett  ran  out  1,260  fathoms  and 
then  stopped  on  account  of  a  small  kink  in  the  wire,  which  he  feared 
would  part  when  the  wire  was  hauled  up. 

When  I  made  my  sounding  about  5  miles  from  the  pole  the  wire 
parted,  as  had  been  feared,  and  the  last  lead  and  nearly  all  of  the  wire 
was  lost. 

The  above  facts  are  noted  to  explain  the  irregularity  of  these  sound¬ 
ings  which  did  not  get  bottom. 

The  sounding  of  310  fathoms  at  85°  23'  naturally  impressed  me  at 
once  as  surprising,  and  when  Marvin  reported  the  result  to  me,  imme¬ 
diately  after  taking  the  sounding,  I  at  once  asked  him  if  he  was  sure 
that  he  had  the  bottom,  and  he  replied  that  he  was,  as  the  fact  of  this 
pronounced  shoaling  from  825  fathoms  to  310  impressed  him  at  once, 
and  he  made  sure  that  his  depth  was  correct. 

Again,  when  the  sounding  of  700  fathoms  and  no  bottom  was  made 
about  10  miles  farther  north,  we  both  spoke  of  the  peculiar  fact  of  this 
outlying  ridge  with  deeper  channel  intervening  between  it  and  the  conti¬ 
nental  shelf,  and  Marvin  again  said  that  he  was  sure  of  his  310  fathoms 
reading. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  loss  of  the  last  lead  and  practically  all  of 
the  wire  while  making  the  soundings  at  the  pole,  I  should,  on  the  re¬ 
turn,  have  interpolated  other  soundings. 

34230—8852 


21 


The  profile  indicates  that  a  line  of  5-mile  interval  soundings  from 
Cape  Columbia  to  the  -eighty-sixth  parallel  might  develop  a  particularly 
interesting  profile  of  the  bottom  of  the  Arctic  Ocean. 

R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy. 

October  18,  1909. 


TIDAL  DIVISION  AT  WORK. 


Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington ,  October  21,  1909. 

Commander  R.  E.  Peary, 

United  States  Navy,  Eagle  Island,  South  Harpswell,  Me. 


Sir  :  Your  telegram  and  letter  of  the  18th,  in  regard  to  the  tidal 
records,  were  duly  received ;  and  yesterday  the  tidal  records,  thermo¬ 
grams,  photographs,  and  photo  films,  and  the  two  reports  of  January 
4  and  9,  by  Mr.  McMillan,  were  received  by  express.  Later  Mr. 
Nichols  called  and  handed  me  the  tracing  of  the  profile  of  the  soundings 
from  Cape  Columbia  to  the  pole,  for  all  of  which  I  beg  to  thank  you. 

The  tidal  records  will  be  turned  over  to  the  tidal  division  at  once  for 
discussion,  and  I  shall  be  happy  to  furnish  you  with  the  results  in  such 
form  as  you  may  desire  for  publication  with  the  account  of  your  expe¬ 
dition,  which  I  presume  you  will  publish  later. 

The  Hydrographic  Office  of  the  Navy  Department  has  asked  for  your 
soundings,  which  I  shall  send  to  them  as  soon  as  I  shall  have  received 
the  data  for  determining  their  positions. 

I  note  what  you  say  about  giving  publicity  to  the  profile  and  com¬ 
plete  set  of  soundings,  and  beg  to  assure  you  that  they  will  not  be 
made  public  at  present. 

Very  respectfully,  yours,  F.  W.  Perkins, 

Acting  Superintendent. 


hydrographic  office  interested. 


Eagle  Island,  South  Harpswell,  Me., 

October  28,  1909. 


Mr.  F.  W.  Perkins,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Dear  Sir  :  Replying  to  your  favor  of  October  21,  I  desire  to  express 
my  sincere  appreciation  of  your  kind  offer  to  furnish  me  the  results  of 
the  discussion  of  the  expedition's  tidal  records. 

I  shall  be  very  glad  to  receive  the  same  when  ready. 

In  regard  to  the  profile  of  soundings  delivered  to  you  by  Mr. 
Nichols,  and  which  you  inform  me  the  Hydrographic  Office  of  the  Navy 
Department  desires,  will  say  that  these  soundings  were  made  on  the 
meridian  of  Cape  Columbia,  and  platting  on  that  meridian  at  the  lati¬ 
tudes  which  I  think  are  noted  in  the  table  on  the  profile  sheet,  will 
give  their  position. 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  other  soundings  made  on  this  expedi¬ 
tion  and  the  previous  one  along  the  north  coast  of  Grant  Land  as  far 
west  as  the  eighty-second  meridian  (Cape  Fanshawe  Martin),  also  in 
Kennedy  and  Robeson  channels  and  Kane  basin,  also  off  Cape  Alex¬ 
ander  and  from  Cape  Morris  Jesup,  the  northern  extremity  of  Green¬ 
land,  to  84°  15'. 

If  the  Hydrographic  Office  contemplates  adding  these  soundings  to 
chart  No.  2142,  or  thinks  of  issuing  a  new  edition  of  that  chart,  it 
would  seem  desirable  to  have  all  of  these  soundings  as  well  as  the  work 
of  the  previous  expedition,  defining  the  shore  line  from  Aldrich’s 
farthest  to  Cape  Thomas  Hubbard,  and  the  reconnaissance  of  the  pres¬ 
ent  expedition  of  Clements  Markham  Inlet  just  west  of  Cape  Hecla 
added  to  the  chart. 

May  I  respectfully  suggest  that  you  take  this  matter  up  with  the 
Hydrographic  Office  and,  if  the  work  indicated  above  seems  desirable, 
see  if  some  arrangement  can  be  made  for  the  compensation  and  ex¬ 
penses  of  Prof.  Donald  B.  McMillan,  who  is  familiar  with  much  of  this 
work,  so  that  he  may  come  to  Washington  with  the  notes  of  the  sound¬ 
ings  and  assist  in  platting  the  work? 

Professor  McMillan  is  now  engaged  in  getting  the  soundings  samples 
in  shape  to  send  a  set  to  your  office  for  such  examination  as  you  may 
desire. 


Unfortunately,  the  samples  of  soundings  on  the  northern  journey  be¬ 
yond  the  sounding  of  110  fathoms  were  lost  with  Professor  Marvin. 
The  others  may  yield  interesting  results  under  the  microscope. 

Very  sincerely, 

R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy. 


34239—8852 


22 


PEART  DETACHED - SPECIAL  DUTY  PERFORMED. 

Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 
Washington,  January  15,  1910. 

Sir  :  The  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  advised  me 
that  Commander  R.  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy,  has  submitted  to 
that  bureau  the  records  of  the  tidal  observations  made  by  him  in  the 
Arctic  by  order  of  President  Roosevelt.  These  observations  are  reported 
to  have  been  thoroughly  made  and  are  satisfactory  and  of  great  value. 
They  are  now  being  reduced  and  discussed  by  the  tidal  expert  of  the 
Coast  Survey. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  Commander  Peary  has  performed  the  special 
duty  for  which  he  was  attached  to  this  department,  I  have  the  honor  to 
suggest  that  he  can  be  detached  without  detriment  to  the  survey. 

Respectfully, 

Benj.  S.  Cable, 

Acting  Secretary. 

The  honorable  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


expert  finding  upon  records. 


Mr. 


Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 

Washington,  March  16,  1910. 

O.  H.  Tittmann, 

Superintendent  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  Office. 


Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  the  tidal  records  obtained  by 
Commander  R.  E.  Peary  during  his  latest  arctic  expedition  consist  of 
practically  unbroken  series  of  hourly  readings  of  the  height  of  the  tide, 
taken  day  and  night,  at  the  following  places  and  between  the  dates 
specified  : 


Station. 

Period  of  observation. 

Length 

of 

record. 

Days. 

Cape  Sheridan . 

November  12,  1908,  to  June  30,  1909  (total  loss 
of  record,  31  hours). 

231 

Onpe  Onlnmhin. _ 

November  16,  1908,  to  December  14,  1908 _ _ 

29 

Cape  Bryant— . 

January  16,  1909,  to  February  13,  1909— . 

28 

Fort  Conger  — . 

June  10,  1909,  to  June  25,  1909  (total  loss  of 
record,  5  hours). 

10 

The  observations  were  taken  day  and  night,  and  besides  the  regular 
hourly  readings,  numerous  additional  readings  were  generally  taken 
near  the  times  of  the  high  and  the  low  waters. 

From  the  records  themselves  and  from  plottings  constructed  from 
them,  it  appears  that  the  observations  were  taken  with  great  care  and 
thoroughness. 

The  principal  results  from  these  records  have  been  already  obtained 
and  are  on  file  in  this  office. 

In  order  to  show  the  full  geographical  value  of  the  results,  it  will 
he  necessary  to  consider  them  in  connection  with  all  other  tidal  results 
relating  to  the  Arctic  Ocean.  This  work  is  now  under  way. 

Commander  Peary's  observations  leave  little  to  be  desired  in  regard 
to  tidal  observations  between  Cape  Morris  Jesup  and  Cape  Columbia  ; 
but  there  are  long  stretches  of  the  Arctic  coast  where  nothing  is 
available.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  Russian  coast  and  the  western 
and  northern  portions  of  the  arctic  archipelago.  However,  we  have 
recently  received  some  tidal  information  from  the  Russian  hydro- 
graphic  office,  with  the  promise  of  more,  which  will  pertain  to  regions 
where  no  knowledge  of  the  tides  has  heretofore  been  available. 

The  results  obtained  from  Commander  Peary’s  records  show  that  the 
tides  along  the  northern  coasts  of  Grant  Land  and  Greenland  are  quite 
different  in  many  respects*  from  what  had  been  heretofore  supposed. 
For  example,  his  records  prove  that  the  tide  occurs  three  hours  earlier 
at  Cape  Columbia  than  at  Cape  Sheridan,  and  not  later,  as  had  been 
generally  assumed. 

As  already  intimated,  the  full  significance  of  these  observations  in 
respect  to  arctic  geography  can  not  be  seen  at  this  time. 

34239—8852 


23 


The  meteorological  records  submitted  to  this  office  consist  of  thermo¬ 
grams  covering  about  180  days,  and  barograms  covering  about  260  days. 
Respectfully,  yours, 

R.  A.  Harris. 


Note. — Mr.  Harris,  whose  report  is  above  presented,  is  the  tidal  ex¬ 
pert  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  to  whom  the  records  of  Com¬ 
mander  Peary  had  been  referred  for  scrutiny  and  examination. 


LEAVE-OF-ABSENCE  PAY. 


In  addition  to  this  official  correspondence,  Mr.  Speaker,  I 
submit  the  following  letter  and  inclosure  from  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy.  In  the  Secretary’s  letter  to  me  it  will  be  observed 
that  the  lump  sum  paid  to  Civil  Engineer  Peary  during  leave, 
while  engaged  in  exploration  work,  was  $38,148.36.  This  sum, 
given  in  bulk,  looks  formidable,  but  it  is  in  fact  less  than  was 
raised  by  Commander  Peary  and  his  friends  for  some  of  the 
eight  expeditions,  and  if  apportioned  amongst  the  years  that 
he  was  actually  engaged  in  exploration  work,  while  on  leave, 
would  amount  to  slightly  more  than  $2,000  per  annum,  or  about 
the  pay  of  a  lieutenant,  junior  grade,  in  the  navy : 

Department  of  the  Navy, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Washington,  March  U,  1910. 

My  Dear  Congressman  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  letter  of  the  9th  instant,  asking  certain  information  in  regard 
to  the  record  of  Civil  Engineer  Robert  E.  Peary,  United  States  Navy, 
and  requesting  the  views  of  this  department  upon  joint  resolution  No. 
144,  “  authorizing  the  promotion  of  Civil  Engineer  Robert  E.  Peary  to 
the  grade  of  rear-admiral  in  the  Corps  of  Civil  Engineers  of  the  Navy, 
and  the  presentation  of  a  vote  of  thanks  to  him  by  Congress.” 

In  reply  thereto  I  have  to  inform  you  that  Robert  E.  Peary  entered 
the  navaf  service  of  the  United  States,  as  a  civil  engineer,  on  October 
26,  1881,  and  has  served  continuously  since  that  date. 

During  his  service  in  the  navy,  Civil  Engineer  Peary,  at  different 
times,  has  been  granted  leave  of  absence  as  follows  : 

1886,  April  6  :  Leave,  eight  months. 

1887,  October  31  :  Leave,  twelve  months. 

1891,  February  24  :  Leave,  eighteen  months. 

1892,  November  21  :  Leave,  three  years. 

1896,  May  2  :  Leave,  six  months. 

1897,  May  25  :  Leave,  five  years  and  six  months. 

1903,  September  9  :  Leave,  three  years. 

1907,  April  9  :  Leave,  three  years.  (Under  date  of  July  2,  1908,  the 
unexpired  portion  of  this  item  of  leave  was  revoked  and  Civil  Engineer 
Peary  ordered  to  report  to  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  for  duty  in 
making  tidal  observations  in  Grant  Land  and  Greenland.) 

While  on  leave,  as  given  above,  Civil  Engineer  Peary  was  paid  th® 
sum  of  $38,148.36. 

For  the  six  months  from  May  5,  1896.  to  November  4,  1896  (fifth 
item  in  statement  on  previous  page),  with  the  exception  of  two  days 
of  duty,  October  25  and  26,  1896,  Civil  Engineer  Peary  was  on  leave 
without  pay. 

The  views  of  the  department  in  regard  to  H.  R.  bill  19971,  providing 
for  the  advancement  of  Civil  Engineer  Peary,  are  contained  in  a  letter 
dated  February  10,  1910,  addressed  to  the  chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Naval  Affairs,  House  of  Representatives,  a  copy  of  which  is  in¬ 
closed  herewith  for  your  information. 

Faithfully,  yours,  G.  v.  L.  Meyer, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

Hon.  J.  Hampton  Moore,  M.  C., 

House  of  Representatives,  Washington,  D.  C. 


attitude  of  navy  department. 

Navy  Department, 
Washington,  February  10,  1910. 

My  Dear  Congressman  :  The  receipt  is  acknowledged  of  your  letter 
of  the  8th  instant,  inclosing  a  bill  (II.  R.  19971)  “  providing  for  the 
appointment  of  Commander  Robert  E.  Peary  a  rear-admiral  in  the 
navy  as  an  additional  number  in  grade,  and  placing  him  upon  the 
retired  list,”  and  requesting  for  the  committee  the  views  and  recom¬ 
mendations  of  the  department  thereon. 

34239—8852 


24 


In  reply  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  Robert  Edwin  Peary 
entered  the  naval  service  of  the  United  States  as  a  civil  engineer  on 
October  26,  1881,  and  has  been  an  officer  of  the  navy  continuously 
since  that  date,  performing  the  duties  required  of  a  civil  engineer  under 
orders  from  the  Navy  Department,  except  when  on  leave. 

During  his  service  in  the  navy,  Civil  Engineer  Peary  has  been  granted 
leave  of  absence  abroad  as  follows  : 

1880,  April  6  :  Leave  abroad,  eight  months. 

1887,  October  31  :  Leave  abroad,  twelve  months. 

1891,  February  24  :  Leave  abroad,  eighteen  months. 

1892,  November  21  :  Leave  abroad,  three  years. 

1896,  May  2  :  Leave  abx*oad,  six  months. 

1897,  May  25  :  Leave  abroad,  five  months. 

1903,  September  9  :  Leave  abroad,  three  years. 

1907,  April  9  :  Leave  abroad,  three  years. 

The  unexpired  portion  of  this  last  leave  was  revoked  on  July  2,  1908, 
and  Civil  Engineer  Peary  was  ordered  to  report  to  the  Coast  and 
Geodetic  Survey  for  duty  in  making  tidal  observations  in  Grant  Land 
and  Greenland. 

It  would  appear  that  the  bill  in  question  is  framed  for  the  purpose 
of  rewarding  Civil  Engineer  Peary  for  having  reached  the  North  Pole, 
and  while  having  successfully  accomplished  this  self-imposed  task  is 
most  commendable  and  reflects  great  credit  not  only  upon  him,  but 
also  upon  the  entire  Nation,  his  various  exploring  expeditions  can  not 
be  regarded  as  having  been  conducted  for  a  strictly  militai’y  or  naval 
purpose,  and  for  this  reason  it  seems  inappropriate  to  confer  upon  him 
a  title  for  which  his  previous  education,  training,  and  service  have  not 
fitted  him. 

It  is  therefore  recommended  that  in  the  title  of  the  bill  and  in  the 
fourth  line  thereof  the  word  “  commander  ”  be  changed  to  “  civil  engi¬ 
neer,”  the  latter  being  Mr.  Peary’s  correct  official  designation,  and, 
further,  that  instead  of  appointing  him  a  rear-admiral  and  placing  him 
upon  the  retired  list  as  such,  that  he  be  retired  as  a  civil  engineer  with 
the  rank  of  rear-admiral,  and  with  the  highest  retired  pay  of  that 
grade  under  existing  law. 

Faithfully,  yours,  G.  von  L.  Meyeb. 

The  Chairman  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs, 

House  of  Representatives. 

twenty-one  volumes  of  tidal  observations. 

I  also  offer  the  following  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  the 
Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  showing  that  the  Super¬ 
intendent  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  received  from  Mr. 
Peary,  October  18,  1909,  21  volumes  of  tidal  observations,  with 
certain  other  data,  the  result  of  which  had  not  yet  been  com¬ 
pleted  “  owing  to  more  pressing  duties.” 

Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Washington,  March  12,  1910. 

Hon.  J.  Hampton  Moore,  M.  C., 

House  of  Representatives,  Washington,  D.  G. 

Sir  :  In  reply  to  your  letter  to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  and 
Geodetic  Survey  of  the  11th  instant,  I  beg  leave  to  inform  you  that  in 
conformity  with  the  letter  of  the  President,  dated  July  3,  1908,  ad¬ 
dressed  to  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  and  orders  of  the 
Navy  Department  dated  July  2,  1908,  Civil  Engineer  R.  E.  Peary, 
United  States  Navy,  reported  by  letter  to  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  for  the  purpose  of  making  tidal  observa¬ 
tions  along  the  Grant  Land  and  Greenland  shore  of  the  polar  sea. 

Detailed  instructions  as  to  the  manner  of  making  these  observations 
were  issued  by  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey  under  date  of 
July  9,  1908. 

Under  date  of  October  18,  1909,  Mr.  Peary  transmitted  to  the  Super¬ 
intendent  of  the  Coast  Survey  21  volumes  of  tidal  observations  and 
also  a  profile  of  soundings  from  Cape  Columbia  to  within  5  miles  of 
the  pole. 

A  reduction  of  the  tidal  observations  has  been  in  progress  for  some 
time,  but  owing  to  more  pressing  duties  the  final  discussion  of  these 
results  has  not  yet  been  completed. 

Under  date  of  October  31,  1909,  a  copy  of  the  profile  of  soundings 
was  forwarded  to  the  Hydrographic  Office  of  the  Navy  Department  for 
utilization  in  the  publication  of  their  chart  of  the  polar  ocean.  In 
34239—8852 


25 


answer,  therefore,  to  the  question  whether  his  reports  have  been 
available  for  public  use  in  the  publication  of  data  and  in  the  dissemina¬ 
tion  of  information  respecting  the  arctic  seas,  I  beg  leave  to  say  that 
the  records  have  been  treated  in  the  customary  manner. 

Respectfully, 

Charles  Nagel,  Secretary. 

CONGRESS  SHOULD  SETTLE  THE  CONTROVERSY. 

Thus,  it  would  appear  that  neither  the  Department  of  the 
Navy  nor  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  to  which 
the  work  of  Mr.  Peary  was  reported,  has  any  doubt  of  the 
success  or  the  value  of  his  achievement.  Enough  of  the  great 
newspapers,  however,  refuse  to  treat  the  discoverer  seriously, 
as  to  prolong  the  doubt  which  still  remains  in  the  minds  of 
those  critics  who  failed  to  appreciate  the  propriety  of  honoring 
an  American  in  his  own  country.  For  this  reason,  Mr.  Speaker, 
it  would  seem  a  gracious  thing  for  Congress  to  settle  the  con¬ 
troversy  upon  the  reports  of  the  departments  alone.  If  we 
fail  to  do  this,  it  would  reflect  not  only  upon  the  authenticity 
of  the  departmental  reports  and  records,  but  upon  the  findings 
of  the  scientific  world. 

It  has  been  suggested,  with  more  of  cynicism,  I  trust,  than  of 
seriousness,  that  Mr.  Peary  should  submit  his  proofs  to  the 
University  of  Copenhagen.  With  the  above  correspondence  be¬ 
fore  us,  would  any  sane  American,  disregarding  the  red  tape  of 
American  departmental  routine,  admit  the  incompetency  of 
American  scientists  to  determine  a  question  of  this  consequence? 
It  is  charged  that  Mr.  Peary,  having  complied  with  his  instruc¬ 
tions  from  the  Government,  has  refused  to  submit  his  proofs  to 
Congress;  that  having  made  contracts  for  the  publication  of 
certain  literary  material  not  required  by  his  instructions  he  is 
seeking  a  selfish  purpose,  and  is  unworthy  of  belief ;  some  Edi¬ 
son,  perchance,  who,  having  discovered  a  secret  of  electricity, 
declines  to  lose  the  advantage  of  his  twenty-three  years  of  toil 
and  experience,  of  his  hardship  and  trouble,  and  yield  up  his  all 
to  those  who  would  rob  him  of  his  just  reward!  In  this  emer¬ 
gency  may  it  not  fairly  be  asked  whether  we  do  not  belittle 
ourselves  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  when  we  admit  the  discovery, 
accept  the  geographical,  commercial,  and  naval  results  that  ac¬ 
crue  from  it,  and  yet  deny  the  discoverer,  because,  perchance, 
he  seeks  retirement,  and  the  right  in  retirement  to  provide  for 
old  age  an  equivalent  for  the  losses  and  the  sacrifices  of  twenty- 
three  years’  extraordinary  service? 

The  injustice  of  it  all  and  the  smallness  of  it  all,  Mr.  Speaker, 
have  appealed  to  me,  and  it  has  seemed  to  me  that  if  Con¬ 
gress  could  not  advance  an  American  who  had  attained  a 
world’s  place  in  history,  an  advancement  from  a  civil  station  to 
one  of  higher  rank  in  the  Department  of  the  Navy,  it  might  at 
least  do  him  the  simple  honor  of  acknowledging  his  achieve¬ 
ments. 

AMERICAN  SCIENTISTS  AFFECTED. 

In  a  joint  resolution,  which  is  now  before  the  Naval  Affairs 
Committee,  I  have  asked  that  Congress  admit  that  this  per¬ 
sistent  and  self-sacrificing  American  won  the  race  against  the 
greatest  explorers  of  other  nations;  I  have  asked  it  not  only 
for  his  sake  and  the  patriotic  impulses  it  involves,  but  for  the 
sake  of  scientific  America,  which  through  its  National  Geo¬ 
graphic  Society  has  staked  its  reputation  upon  the  work  of  the 
34239—8852 


26 


man.  To  discredit  Robert  E.  Peary,  after  all  his  years  of  en¬ 
deavor,  will  not  dignify  this  Congress  nor  the  people  of  this 
country  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  but  it  must  necessarily  dis¬ 
credit  American  scientists  who  have  put  the  stamp  of  their 
approval  upon  his  labors.  Can  we  afford  to  do  it?  In  order  to 
show  that  the  scientific  judgment  of  those  who  have  examined 
Peary’s  work  does  not  differ,  but  wholly  accords  with  the  of¬ 
ficial  and  departmental  estimate  of  it,  I  submit  the  following 
report  of  a  meeting  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  of  the 
United  States,  a  society  made  up  of  the  leading  scientists  of 
this  country,  who  came  together  October  20,  1909,  to  consider 
Peary’s  remarkable  exploit: 

NATIONAL  GEOGRAPHIC  SOCIETY'S  INVESTIGATION. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  managers  of  the  National  Geographic 
Society,  Wednesday  morning,  October  20,  the  records  and  observations 
and  proof  of  Commander  Robert  E.  Peary  that  he  reached  the  pole 
April  6,  1909,  were  submitted  to  the  society. 

The  records  and  observations  were  immediately  referred  to  the  com¬ 
mittee  on  research,  with  the  direction  that  the  chairman  appoint  a  sub¬ 
committee  of  experts,  of  which  he.  shall  be  a  member,  to  examine  said 
records  and  report  on  them  to  the  board.  Mr.  Henry  Gannett,  chair¬ 
man  of  the  committee  on  research,  immediately  appointed  as  the  other 
members  of  the  committee  Rear-Admiral  Colby  M.  Chester,  United  States 
Navy,  and  O.  H.  Tittmann,  Superintendent  of  the  United  States  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey. 

This  committee  of  the  society  will  personally  examine  the  notebooks 
and  original  observations  made  by  Commander  Peary  in  his  march  to 
the  pole  and  see  all  the  papers  as  brought  back  from  the  field.  The 
committee  will  report  to  the  board  the  result  of  its  findings  at  a  special 
meeting  of  the  board  to  be  called  for  that  purpose. 

This  action  of  the  society  was  taken  in  accordance  with  the  by-laws 
of  the  society,  which  provide  that  “  the  committee  on  research  shall 
be  charged  with  the  consideration  of  all  matters  of  scientific  and  tech¬ 
nical  geography,  including  exploration,  which  may  be  brought  before 
the  society,  or  which  may  originate  in  the  committee,  and  shall  report 
thereon  to  the  board  of  managers,  with  recommendations  for  action.” 

At  a  meeting  on  October  1  the  board  of  managers  stated  that  the 
National  Geographic  Society  could  accept  the  personal  statements  of 
neither  Commander  Peary  nor  Doctor  Cook  that  the  pole  had  been 
reached,  without  investigation  by  its  committee  on  research  or  by  a 
scientific  body  acceptable  to  it. 

At  the  same  meeting  Commander  Peary  and  Doctor  Cook  were  urged 
speedily  to  submit  their  observations  to  a  competent  scientific  commis¬ 
sion  in  the  United  States. 

At  a  later  meeting  the  board  joined  in  a  request  from  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York,  and  the  American  Geographical 
Society  to  President  Ira  Remsen  that  he,  as  the  president  of  the 
National  Academy  of  Sciences,  appoint  a  commission  to  pass  upon  the 
records  of  Commander  Peary  and  Doctor  Cook.  This  plan  for  an  early 
examination  failed,  as  Doctor  Remseh  stated  that  he  would  not  be  able 
to  appoint  said  commission  unless  authorized  by  his  council,  which 
meets  late  in  November,  and  unless  also  requested  to  do  so  by  both 
Commander  Peary  and  Doctor  Cook. 

Commander  Peary  was  willing  to  abide  by  such  a  commission,  but 
Doctor  Cook  stated  that  his  observations  would  go  first  to  the  University 
of  Copenhagen.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  Commander  Peary  had  been 
waiting  since  his  return  to  submit  his  records  to  a  scientific  commis¬ 
sion  in  the  United  States,  the  National  Geographic  Society  believed  it 
should  receive  his  papers  now  in  order  that  his  claim  of  having  reached 
the  pole  may  be  passed  upon  without  further  delay. 

The  society  is  ready  to  make  a  similar  examination  of  Doctor  Cook's 
original  observations  and  field  notes,  but  as  he  promised  to  send  them 
to  the  University  of  Copenhagen,  and  the  society  will  not  have  an  op¬ 
portunity  of  seeing  them  for  probably  some  months,  it  did  not  seem 
fair  to  defer  action  on  Commander  Peary’s  observations  until  Doctor 
Cook’s  papers  were  received  by  the  society.  The  only  question  now  to 
be  decided  by  the  society  is  whether  or  not  Commander  Peary  reached 
the  pole  on  April  6,  1909. 

Mr.  Henry  Gannett,  chairman  of  the  committee  which  will  report 
on  Commander  Peary’s  observations,  has  been  chief  geographer  of  the 
34239—8852 


27 


United  States  Geological  Survey  since  18S2 ;  he  is  the  author  of 
“  Manual  of  Topographic  Surveying,”  “  Statistical  Atlases  of  the 
Tenth  and  Eleventh  Censuses,”  “  Dictionary  of  Altitudes,”  “  Magnetic 
Declination  in  the  United  States,”  Stanford's  “  Compendium  of  Geog¬ 
raphy,”  and  of  many  government  reports.  Mr.  Gannett  is  vice-presi¬ 
dent  of  the  National  Geographic  Society,  and  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  society  in  1888. 

Rear-Admiral  Colby  M.  Chester,  United  States  Navy,  was  graduated 
from  the  United  States  Naval  Academy  in  1863.  He  has  held  practi¬ 
cally  every  important  command  .under  the  Navy  Department,  including 
superintendent  of  the  United  States  Naval  Observatory,  commander  in 
chief  Atlantic  Squadron,  Superintendent  of  the  United  States  Naval 
Academy,  Chief  of  Hydrographic  Division,  United  States  Navy.  Ad¬ 
miral  Chester  has  been  known  for  many  years  as  one  of  the  best  and 
most  particular  navigators  in  the  service. 

O.  H.  Tittmann  has  been  Superintendent  of  the  United  States  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey  since  I960.  He  is  the  member  for  the  United 
States  of  the  Alaskan  Boundary  Commission,  and  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  National  Geographic  Society. 

Board  of  managers :  Alexander  Graham  Bell,  inventor  of  the  tele¬ 
phone  ;  C.  M.  Chester,  rear-admiral  United  States  Navy,  former  Super¬ 
intendent  United  States  Naval  Observatory ;  P.  V.  Coville,  botanist, 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture ;  Rudolph  Kauffman,  manag¬ 
ing  editor,  the  Evening  Star  ;  T.  L.  Macdonald,  M.  D. ;  Willis  L.  Moore, 
Chief  United  States  Weather  Bureau  ;  S.  N.  D.  North,  formerly  director 
United  States  Bureau  of  Census ;  O.  P.  Austin,  Chief  United  States 
Bureau  of  Statistics  ;  Charles  J.  Bell,  president  American  Security  and 
Trust  Company  ;  T.  C.  Chamberlin,  professor  of  geology,  University  of 
Chicago  ;  George  Davidson,  professor  of  geography,  University  of  Cali¬ 
fornia  ;  John  Joy  Edson,  president  Washington  Loan  and  Trust  Com¬ 
pany  ;  David  Fairchild,  in  charge  of  agricultural  explorations,  Depart¬ 
ment  of  Agriculture ;  A.  J.  Henry,  professor  of  meteorology,  United 
States  Weather  Bureau ;  A.  W.  Greely,  arctic  explorer,  major-general 
United  States  Army  ;  Henry  Gannett,  geographer  of  Conservation  Com¬ 
mission  ;  J.  Howard  Gore,  professor  of  mathematics,  The  George  Wash¬ 
ington  University  ;  Gilbert  H.  Grosvenor,  editor  of  National  Geographic 
Magazine  ;  George  Otis  Smith,  Director  of  United  States  Geological  Sur¬ 
vey  ;  O.  H.  Tittmann,  Superintendent  of  United  States  Coast  and  Geo¬ 
detic  Survey ;  and  John  M.  Wilson,  brigadier -general  United  States 
Army,  formerly  Chief  of  Engineers. 

SCIENTISTS  ATTEST  DISCOVERY. 

In  due  course,  Mr.  Speaker,  the  board  of  managers  of  the 
National  Geographic  Society,  at  a  meeting  held  at  Hubbard 
Memorial  Hall,  Washington,  D.  C.,  November  4,  1909,  received 
the  following  report: 

The  subcommittee  to  which  was  referred  the  task  of  examining  the 
records  of  Commander  Peary  in  evidence  of  his  having  reached  the 
North  Pole  beg  to  report  that  they  have  completed  their  task. 

Commander  Peary  has  submitted  to  this  subcommittee  his  original 
journal  and  records  of  observations,  together  with  all  his  instruments 
and  apparatus  and  certain  of  the  most  important  of  the  scientific  re¬ 
sults  of  his  expedition.  These  have  been  carefully  examined  by  your 
subcommittee,  and  they  are  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  Com¬ 
mander  Peary  reached  the  North  Pole  on  April  6,  1969. 

They  also  feel  warranted  in  stating  that  the  organization,  planning, 
and  management  of  the  expedition,  its  complete  success,  and  its  scien¬ 
tific  results  reflect  the  greatest  credit  on  the  ability  of  Commander 
Robert  E.  Peary  and  render  him  worthy  of  the  highest  honors  that  the 
National  Geographic  Society  can  bestow  upon  him. 

Henry  Gannett. 

C.  M.  Ci-sester. 

O.  H.  Tittmann. 

The  foregoing  report  was  unanimously  approved. 

Immediately  after  this  action  the  following  resolutions  were  unani¬ 
mously  adopted  : 

“  Whereas  Commander  Robert  E.  Peary  has  reached  the  North  Pole, 
the  goal  sought  for  centuries ;  and 

“  Whereas  this  is  the  greatest  geographical  achievement  that  this 
society  can  have  opportunity  to  honor  :  Therefore 

“  Resolved,  That  a  special  medal  be  awarded  to  Commander  Peary." 

34239—8852 


28 


CONGRATULATIONS  FROM  ROOSEVELT. 

The  following  telegrams  are  interesting  in  this  connection : 

December  9,  1909. 

Theodore  Roosevelt,  'Nairobi,  British  East  Africa: 

National  Geographic  Society  December  15  awards  medal  Peary  for 
discovery  of  pole.  Will  appreciate  message  of  congratulation  from  you. 

National  Geographic  Society. 

Nairobi,  December  11,  1909. 
National  Geographic  Society,  Washington: 

Extremely  pleased.  Desire  through  you  to  extend  heartiest  congratu¬ 
lations  Peary  on  his  great  feat  which  you  have  thus  recognized. 

Roosevelt. 

HONORS  TO  FOREIGN  EXPLORERS. 

The  difference  between  the  report  of  the  National  Geographic 
Society  with  its  modest  contribution  of  a  “  special  medal  ”  to 
Mr.  Peary  and  that  which  would  have  actuated  foreign  govern¬ 
ments  is,  that  whereas  a  voluntary  scientific  body  in  the  United 
States  might  applaud  an  American  citizen  who  had  accom¬ 
plished  some  extraordinary  thing,  foreign  governments,  notably 
that  of  Great  Britain,  would  have  taken  official  recognition  of 
the  act,  and  while  supporting  it  from  the  beginning  would  have 
rewarded  the  hero  so  that  his  declining  years  might  have  been 
honorable  and  free  from  the  criticism  and  the  malice  that  some¬ 
times  follow  proven  heroes  in  our  own  country.  And  in  this 
connection,  Mr.  Speaker,  I  desire  to  submit  a  few  observations 
with  regard  to  the  treatment  accorded  to  explorers  of  foreign 
lands : 

Alexander  Mackenzie,  for  discovering  the  Mackenzie  River,  1789, 
flowing  into  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  for  arctic  and  subarctic  explorations, 
1790-1801,  was  knighted  by  Great  Britain  in  1892  at  the  age  of  47. 

William  Edward  Parry  won  the  prize  of  £5,000  ($20,000)  offered  by 
Parliament  for  the  first  commander  to  take  a  ship  across  longitude  110° 
west,  1819.  Eight  years  later,  1827,  Parry  reached  82°  45'  (the  record 
for  farthest  north),  and  on  his  return  to  England  was  knighted  by  the 
King,  1829,  at  the  age  of  39. 

John  Franklin,  for  explorations  of  the  arctic  coast  of  North  America, 
1818-1827,  was  knighted  in  1829,  at  the  age  of  43. 

John  Ross,  for  explorations  on  the  arctic  coast  of  North  America, 
was  knighted  in  1835,  at  the  age  of  58. 

George  Back,  for  discovering  the  Great  Fish  River,  or  Backs  River, 
flowing  into  the  Arctic  Ocean,  was  knighted,  1837,  at  the  age  of  41. 

James  Ross,  who  had  accompanied  his  uncle,  John  Ross,  in  his 
north  polar  explorations,  was  knighted  in  1844  for  discovering  Victoria 
Land  and  other  important  explorations  around  the  South  Pole,  at  the 
age  of  44. 

Robert  McClure,  the  first  to  accomplish  the  Northwest  Passage,  1850- 
1853,  received  a  grant  of  £10,000  from  Parliament  and  was  knighted 
by  the  Queen,  1853,  at  the  age  of  46.  Richard  Collinson  was  also 
knighted  for  the  same  feat  one  year  later  at  the  age  of  43. 

Francis  L.  McCliutock,  for  explorations  along  the  arctic  coast  of 
North  America,  and  particularly  for  finding  the  remains  of  Sir  John 
Franklin  and  his  party,  was  knighted,  1855,  at  the  age  of  36. 

George  Nares,  for  explorations  in  the  arctic  during  which  a  member 
of  his  party,  Beaumont,  made  farthest  north,  82°  20',  was  knighted, 
1877,  at  the  age  of  46. 

Ernest  H.  Shackleton.  who  reached  a  point  within  100  miles  of  the 
South  Pole,  January,  1909,  on  his  return  to  England,  was  immediately 
made  a  grant  of  £20,000  by  the  British  Government  and  has  also  been 
knighted  by  the  King,  at  the  age  of  about  35. 

PEARY  RECOGNIZED  ABROAD. 

It  will  be  observed  that  great  governments,  striving  to  figure 
in  the  world’s  history,  have  not  been  slow  in  other  instances  to 
honor  n^r]  reward  those  of  its  distinguished  sons  who  have 
34239—8852 


29 


undertaken  great  explorations  in  their  name;  nor  can  it  be  said 
tliat  Great  Britain,  a  leader  in  encouraging  exploration,  has 
been  either  envious  or  unkind  enough  to  overlook  the  achieve¬ 
ment  of  our  own  distinguished  American  explorer  Peary : 

Since  1832  recognition  of  explorers  by  the  British  Government  has 
depended  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society, 
of  London.  Each  one  of  the  explorers  mentioned  above,  excepting  those 
prior  to  1832,  also  received  one  of  the  two  annual  medals  of  this 
society — the  Founder's  medal  or  the  Patron’s  medal — but  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society  has  not  honored  any  one  of  these  great  British 
polar  explorers  in  the  manner  in  which  it  proposes  to  honor  Com¬ 
mander  Peary  in  May  of  this  year.  A  special  gold  medal  is  now  being 
prepared  and  will  be  struck  off  to  commemorate  the  discovery  of  the 
North  Pole  by  Peary,  which  will  be  handed  him  on  May  4.  On  only 
three  other  occasions  has  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  awarded  a 
special  medal — to  Stanley  in  1890,  for  rescuing  Emin  Pasha  and  for 
his  crossing  of  Africa,  and  to  Nansen  in  1897,  for  his  polar  expedi¬ 
tion,  and  to  Shackleton  for  south  polar  explorations.  The  list  of  per¬ 
sons  who  have  received  the  medals  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society 
since  1832  includes  all  the  great  explorers  of  Africa,  South  America, 
Australia,  and  the  polar  regions  ;  but  not  even  Livingstone,  nor  any  of 
the  pioneer  explorers  of  Africa  or  of  Australia,  both  of  which  conti¬ 
nents  have  been  opened  up  within  this  period,  were  honored  in  the 
way  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  proposes  to  recognize  Peary.  In 
other  wmrds,  only  three  feats  of  exploration  during  the  past  eighty 
years  are  held  by  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  as  comparable  with 
the  discovery  of  the  pole — Stanley’s  crossing  of  Africa  and  Nansen’s  and 
Shackleton’s  polar  expeditions. 

Furthermore,  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  places  Peary  ahead  of 
either  Stanley  or  Nansen  or  Shackleton.  Its  gold  medal  to  Stanley  in 
1890  was  3  inches  diameter;  its  medal  to  Nansen  (1897),  2i  inches 
diameter;  its  medal  to  Shackleton  (1909)  3  inches  in  diameter;  but  its 
medal  to  Peary  will  be  4  inches  diameter.  By  the  size  of  the  medal  the 
society  carefully  expresses  the  relative  importance  of  the  three  achieve¬ 
ments. 

FURTHER  DELAY  IS  CRUELTY. 

This  does  not  look  as  if  the  exploit  of  Peary  was  underesti¬ 
mated  in  foreign  lands.  It  manifests  no  disposition  that  we 
should  send  our  records  to  Copenhagen,  or  that  we  should  go 
behind  our  own  American  scientists.  But  it  is  still  contended 
by  some  of  the  discontented  and  perturbed  minds  amongst  our 
90,000,000  people  that  the  report  to  the  National  Geographic  So¬ 
ciety  was  prejudiced;  that  Peary  since  his  return  has  failed  to 
support  the  relatives  of  his  crew;  that  his  exploit  was  impos¬ 
sible,  and  so  forth.  Are  these  excuses  for  delaying  action  by 
Congress  tenable?  Are  we,  by  delay,  to  gratify  the  personal 
grievances  of  Peary’s  opponents  and  thereby  countenance  that 
cruelty  of  man  to  man  which  Robert  Burns,  beloved  victim  of 
an  ungrateful  people,  truthfully  observed: 

Makes  countless  thousands  mourn? 

I  trust  we  shall  not  so  stultify  our  national  honor. 

TIME  RECORDS  ON  DASH  TO  POLE. 

Referring  to  the  time  occupied  by  Peary  in  his  last  dash  to 
the  pole,  Mr.  Gilbert  H.  Grosvenor,  director  and  editor  of  the 
National  Geographic  Society,  says: 

In  view  of  the  recent  published  statement  by  a  Member  of  Congress 
doubting  the  distances  traveled  by  Peary  on  his  last  northern  sledge 
journey,  I  have  gone  to  some  trouble  to  obtain  correct  figures  from  the 
narrative  of  Peary’s  last  and  previous  expeditions. 

Anyone  who  cares  to  take  the  time  and  trouble  can  verify  these 
figures,  and  will  find  the  following  results  : 

Peary’s  average  distance  per  march  from  Cape  Columbia  to  where 
Bartlett  turned  back  was  12.8  miles.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  north 
wind  two  days,  setting  them  back,  this  average  would  have  been  13§ 
miles.  Between  two  observations  taken  by  Marvin  the  average  of 
three  marches  was  161  miles.  Several  of  the  marches  were  20  miles. 

34239—8852 


30 


His  average,  from  the  time  Bartlett  left  him,  to  the  pole  was  20 
miles.  His  average  on  his  return  was  25.6  miles. 

For  comparison  with  the  above  figures,  as  showing  that  these  aver¬ 
ages  are  not  at  all  excessive,  the  following  facts  can  be  taken  from 
the  narrative  of  the  last  expedition  and  previous  ones  : 

Peary’s  last  2  marches  on  the  return,  from  Cape  Columbia  to  the 
Roosevelt,  were  45  miles  each.  On  this  and  previous  expeditions  the 
journey  from  Cape  Hecla  to  the  Roosevelt .  a  distance  of  45  to  50  miles, 
was  made  in  1  march.  The  distance  from  Cape  Columbia  to  Hecla 
was  also  made  on  other  occasions  in  1  march.  The  march  from  the 
Roosevelt  to  Porter  Bay,  a  distance  of  35  miles,  was  repeatedly  made  in 
eight,  ten,  and  twelve  hours.  MacMillan  and  Borup,  returning  from 
Cape  Morris  Jesup  to  the  Roosevelt,  made  the  distance  of  250  miles  or 
more  in  8  marches,  an  average  of  over  31  miles  a  march.  Peary,  in 
one  of  his  earlier  expeditions,  made  the  distance  from  Cape  Wilkes 
to  Cape  D’Urville,  a  distance  of  65  to  70  miles,  in  1  march.  He  re¬ 
peatedly  made  the  march  from  Cape  D’Urville  to  Cape  Fraser,  a  dis¬ 
tance  of  40  miles,  in  1  march,  and  in  the  winter  of  1899-1900  traveled 
from  Etah  to  a  point  in  Robertson  Bay,  60  miles  distant,  in  less  than 
twelve  hours. 

On  his  return  from  Independence  Bay  to  Bowdoin  Bay,  Peary  aver¬ 
aged  20  miles  a  day  for  25  successive  marches  ;  210  miles  in  7  succes¬ 
sive  marches  (an  average  of  30  miles  a  day),  making  the  last  march 
of  40  miles,  all  these  with  dogs  not  driven  by  Eskimo  drivers. 

On  more  than  one  occasion  in  the  fall  of  1900  Peary’s  parties  went 
from  Lake  Hazen  to  Fort  Conger,  both  by  the  Bellows  route  and  by 
the  Black  Vale  route,  distances  either  way  of  50  miles  overland,  in  1 
march.  This  after  the  sun  had  set  for  the  winter. 

In  February,  1899,  before  the  sun  returned,  Peary  (with  both  feet 
frozen  six  weeks  before)  sledged  from  Conger  to  Cape  D’Urville,  a  dis¬ 
tance  of  over  200  miles,  in  11  marches,  in  an  average  temperature  of 
53J  degrees  below  zero,  an  average  of  about  20  miles.  In  March  of 
1902  he  went  from  Cape  Sabine  to  Fort  Conger,  a  distance  of  250  to 
300  miles,  as  traveled,  in  12  marches,  an  average  of  21  to  25  miles,  and 
later  covered  the  same  distance  again  in  11  marches,  an  average  of  22 
to  27  miles. 

In  the  history  of  polar  exploration  no  one  has  had  so  much  and  such 
long-continued  training  in  ice  work  as  Peary  ;  his  speed  is  the  result  of 
long  years  of  practice,  resulting  in  great  physical  endurance  and  skill 
in  the  use  of  the  sledge. 

BOBUP'S  TBIBUTE  TO  PEABY. 

I  have  also  inquired  as  to  Peary’s  treatment  of  his  men.  In 
this  connection  I  am  able  to  present  two  unpublished  letters, 
the  first  addressed  by  George  Borup,  son  of  Lt.  Col.  Henry  D. 
Borup,  United  States  Army,  and  a  member  of  the  last  expedi¬ 
tion,  to  the  National  Geographic  Society,  as  follows: 

1211  Foubteenth  Avenue, 
Altoona,  Pa.,  March  11,  1910. 

Mr.  Gilbebt  H.  Geosvenob, 

National  Geographic  Society,  Washington,  D.  G. 

Deak  Mb.  Gbosvenob  :  I  just  received  your  letter  and  am  only  too 
glad  to  do  as  you  ask  and  tell  you  what  we  fellows  thought  of  Com¬ 
mander  Peary  and  the  wonderful  kind  way  he  treated  us. 

It  makes  me  sick  the  way  almost  everyone  criticises,  abuses,  and 
knocks  him. 

Why,  do  you  suppose  for  one  minute  he  could  have  gotten  the  work 
out  of  either  the  Eskimos  or  ourselves  if  he  had  been  a  grim  martinet 
or  tyrant.  Well,  I  guess  not. 

In  the  fall  of  1908,  for  about  four  weeks,  McMillan  was  laid  out  by 
a  fever  and  was  in  bed  for  nearly  three  weeks.  Every  day  the  com¬ 
mander  would  drop  in  several  times  a  day  to  see  how  he  was  getting 
cm,  ask  him  what  he  could  do  for  him,  what  books  “  Mac  ”  wanted  from 
h\s  arctic  library,  what  tunes  he  would  like  played  on  the  pianola,  wThat 
variety  in  his  food  he  would  prefer,  etc.  Then  he  would  go  get  the 
books  wauted  or  sit  down  and  play  the  pianola  for  “  Mac  ”  by  the  hour. 

Once,  on  the  second  day  of  the  dash,  “  Mac  ”  fell  in  the  icy  water 
up  to  his  waist,  with  the  temperature  in  the  minus  fifties.  Luckily  for 
him  it  was  camping  time  and  the  igloos  were  almost  done. 

He  hurried  to  camp.  The  commander  saw  he  had  met  with  a  mis¬ 
hap,  spread  out  a  musk-ox  robe  for  him  to  sit  on,  helped  him  pull  off 
his  icy  moccasins  and  stockings,  dried  his  feet,  legs,  and  drawers  with 
the  shirt  that  was  next  his  own  skin — and,  mind  you,  there  was  no 
34239—8852 


31 


drying  that  shirt  over  a  fire  ;  he  had  to  dry  it  with  his  own  animal 
heat. 

After  that  he  put  Mac’s  feet,  which  by  this  time  were  nearly  frozen, 
upon  his  own  stomach  to  warm  them  up.  From  experience  I  for  one 
know  that  having  a  pair  of  icy  feet  on  one’s  stomach  is  far  from 
pleasant. 

Now,  there  was  no  need  for  the  commander  to  have  done  that.  He 
could  have  called  an  Eskimo  up  and  told  him  to  warm  Mac’s  feet  up. 
But,  no,  he  did  it  himself. 

And,  of  course,  when  the  leader  of  an  expedition  is  willing  to  do  that 
for  his  men,  they  are  devoted  to  him  and  will  do  anything  for  him. 

Again,  when  MacMillan  was  shot  the  commander  came  in  the  room 
with  the  tears  in  his  eyes  and  said  he’d  have  rather  been  shot  himself 
than  have  MacMillen  laid  out — and  if  ever  a  man  meant  what*  he  said 
we  knew  the  commander  did. 

If  I  started  to  tell  you  the  numberless  ways  the  commander  went  out 
of  his  way  to  help  us,  give  us  advice,  keep  us  jollied  up,  I’d  have  a  book 
written  before  I  got  through. 

Personally  my  own  father  could  not  have  been  kinder  or  more  con¬ 
siderate  to  me  than  the  commander  was.  During  the  whole  trip  I 
never  knew  him  to  say  a  cross  word  to  anyone,  white  man  or  Eskimo, 
and  the  Lord  knows  we  gave  him  occasion  too  often  enough. 

He  would  not  only  go  out  of  his  way  to  help  us,  but  would  put  him¬ 
self  out  for  the  dogs.  I  remember  once  a  dog  got  a  line  snarled  around 
his  leg  on  deck  and  was  in  great  pain.  I  went  to  his  rescue,  but  the 
brute  failed  to  appreciate  my  attempts  to  get  him  out  of  his  fix,  and 
seemed  to  hold  me  responsible  for  his  pain. 

The  commander  happened  to  come  out  on  deck  then,  saw  the  dog 
was  doing  his  best  to  sample  me,  and  came  up  to  help  at  once.  Just  a 
word  or  two  to  the  dog,  and  the  animal  seemed  to  know  he’d  found 
a  friend  ;  the  commander  got  hold  of  his  leg,  unwrapped  the  trace,  and 
the  dog  was  free  and  falling  all  over  the  commander  to  express  his 
gratitude. 

If  you  will  excuse  my  continuing  on  another  line  in  regard  to  this 
Macon  affair  about  the  distances  we  supporting  parties  went,  when 
Marvin  and  I  were  trying  to  overhaul  Peary  we  covered  about  40  miles 
one  day  and  were  one  day’s  march  behind  the  main  column.  We  called 
for  a  volunteer  to  go  ahead  and  catch  Peary,  and  Segloo,  who  after¬ 
wards  went  to  the  pole,  responded,  and  after  less  than  four  hours’  rest 
went  on,  covering  about  20  more  miles,  and  catching  Peary  at  84°  29' — 
that  is,  he  came  from  about  83°  30'  to  84°  29'  (57  miles)  with  four 
hours’  rest. 

Again  McMillan  and  I  reached  the  ship  at  Cape  Sheridan  from  Cape 
Morris  Jesup,  nearly  300  geographical  miles,  in  eight  marches,  and  we 
took  things  easy  at  that.  Twice  we  covered  over  50  miles  in  a  march. 

Returning  from  85°  23'  with  3  Eskimos,  2  of  whom  were  so  badly 
laid  out  they  couldn’t  walk,  but  had  to  be  dragged  on  the  sledge  drawn 
by  16  of  the  worst  dogs  of  the  whole  outfit,  we  reached  land,  136  geo¬ 
graphical  miles  away,  in  7  marches,  and  would  have  done  it  in  less  but 
for  being  delayed  by  open  water. 

We  averaged  20  miles  a  day,  almost,  a  badly  crippled  outfit  at  that. 
Are  Commander  Peary’s  marches  surprising  when  you  remember  his 
were  the  best  Eskimos  of  the  tribe,  the  dogs  the  pick  of  240? 

To  sum  up — 

Commander  Peary  was  just  great  kindness  and  consideration  per¬ 
sonified,  always  going  out  of  his  way  to  help  us,  and  the  only  trouble 
with  his  having  found  the  pole  is  that  we  can  never  have  the  privilege 
of  serving  under  such  a  wonderfully  fine  leader  as  he  is  again. 

Thanks  for  your  promise  to  let  me  know  about  the  southern  expedi¬ 
tion,  as,  with  Peary’s  methods,  I  think  it  would  be  a  sure  thing. 

Yours,  sincerely, 

George  Borup. 

CAPTAIN  BARTLETT  ADDS  HIS  PRAISE. 


Another  letter  is  from  Capt.  Robert  A.  Bartlett,  sailing 
master  of  the  steamer  Roosevelt,  which  carried  Peary,  an  of¬ 
ficer  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  under  pay  on 
leave,  to  the  North  Pole  under  the  auspices  of  the  Peary  Arctic 
Club.  Captain  Bartiett  ought  to  be  in  a  position  to  speak 
authoritatively,  and  I  submit  that  his  word  and  that  of  Mr. 
Borup  (I  have  been  unable  to  gather  data  from  others)  should 
be  taken  as  against  the  unauthorized  and  trivial  statements 
34239—8852 


32 


that  crop  up  in  all  sections  of  the  country  like  so  many  mush¬ 
rooms  over  night : 

Boston  City  Club, 

9  Beacon  Street. 

The  fact  that  I  have  been  with.  Commander  Peary  on  all  of  his  expe¬ 
ditions  since  1897  must  necessarily  prove  that  I  think  highly  of  him. 

The  fact  that  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  expedition  wanted  to  go 
with  him  again  shows  that  there  could  be  nothing  but  the  most  amiable 
relations. 

The  late  P,  lessor  Marvin  thought  so  highly  of  Peary  that  he  sacri¬ 
ficed  a  great  many  opportunities  in  order  to  make  another  voyage 
with  him. 

Doctor  Wolf,  the  surgeon  of  1906-1907,  tried  very  hard  to  go  again, 
but  could  not  get  away  on  account  of  his  practice.  The  chief  engineer 
and  Bosee  Murphy,  also  Steward  Charles  Percy,,  as  well  as  members  of 
the  crew,  have  been  with  him  since  the  Roosevelt  was  launched. 

The  late  Capt.  Harry  Bartlett,  who  was  drowned,  had  been  with 
Peary  twice  ;  Capt.  John  Bartlett  several  times,  giving  up  owing  to  age 
limit ;  and  Capt.  Samuel  Bartlett  was  with  him  for  a  number  of  years, 
but  did  not  feel  like  leaving  his  family,  simply  because  they  did  not 
wish  him  to  be  away  from  his  home  during  the  winter. 

I  have  merely  quoted  the  above  to  demonstrate  that  the  best  of  feel¬ 
ing  must  have  existed  between  the  commander  and  the  members  of  his 
party  at  all  times.  One  can  be  assured  that  the  Eskimo  would  not 
work  for  him  unless  they  had  the  highest  regard  for  him. 

My  own  estimation  of  Peary  is  hard  to  describe.  I  have  more  admira¬ 
tion  for  him  than  any  man  living.  We  have  never  had  a  hard  word, 
and  the  same  friendly  relations  existing  between  the  commander  and 
myself  during  all  the  years  that  I  have  been  with  him  remain  the  same 
as  when  first  I  met  him. 

His  kindly  consideration  of  everyone  under  the  most  trying  conditions 
was  always  marked ;  his  orders  were  always  given  in  the  form  of  a 
request,  and  he  always  invited  suggestions  of  the  members  of  his 
party. 

“  When  Jesus  Christ  was  on  earth  He  was  not  appreciated  by  many. 
He  had  to  die  to  get  recognition.” 

To  know  a  man  shorn  of  all  frills  live  with  him  in  the  Arctic,  and 
there  you  will  see  a  man  in  his  true  light.  A  man  may  be  an  angel  or 
act  like  one  here,  but  up  in  the  Arctic  where  one  comes  in  constant  or 
daily  contact  with  each  other  and  have  the  same  regard  for  his  fellow- 
man  after  as  before,  that  man  must  be  all  right. 

Time  and  time  again  Peary  has  gone  out  of  his  way  to  make  things 
pleasant  for  us  ;  doing  without  things  himself  so  that  we  may  have 
them.  If  the  last  drop  of  whisky  was  left  in  the  bottle  and  a  fellow 
wanted  it,  Peary  would  willingly  give  it.  I  have  seen  him  when  his 
igloo  has  been  built  make  tea  and  give  it  to  me.  To  tell  of  the  many 
things  that  he  has  done  for  not  only  me,  but  others  of  the  party,  would 
fill  a  large  book. 

In  conclusion,  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with  Peary’s  treatment  of  me. 
I  never  want  to  sail  with  a  better  man.  A  born  leader  of  men.  A 
man  of  master  mind. 

Robert  A.  Bartlett, 

Sailing  Master,  Peary  Arctic  Clul), 

Steamer  Roosevelt. 


MELVILLE  AND  SIGSBEE  STAND  BY. 

It  seems  fair,  too,  to  say  that  Admiral  George  W.  Melville,  an 
Arctic  explorer  of  proven  courage,  a  man  whose  heroic  work  in 
the  frozen  North  has  identified  his  name  forever  with  the 
world’s  history,  has  carefully  considered  this  whole  question  of 
the  treatment" of  Peary,  and  has  expressed  his  entire  confidence 
in,  and  high  regard  for,  the  skillful  work  that  Peary  did.  Mel¬ 
ville  has  been  raised  to  the  rank  of  rear-admiral  (retired),  and 
holds  no  envy,  but  recognizes  the  glory  of  an  achievement  other 
nations  have  sought  to  attain,  and  which  has  at  last  fallen  to 
the  honor  of  his  own  country.  Nor  is  there  a  symptom  of  un¬ 
friendly  feeling  upon  the  part  of  Admiral  Sigsbee,  whose  asso¬ 
ciation  with  the  Spanish  war  has  given  him  a  place  in  our  naval 
history.  In  a  letter  to  the  discoverer  of  the  North  Pole,  Ad¬ 
miral  Sigsbee,  of  the  line,  gives  credit  to  the  staff  officer.  Under 
34239—8852 


33 

date  of  February  9,  addressing  the  civil  engineer-explorer,  he 
says : 

I  have  just  heard  that  you  are  to  be  nominated  for  rear-admiral,  or 
with  the  rank  of  rear-admiral.  No  matter  which  way  is  proposed,  I 
stand  for  confirmation  if  the  proper  authorities,  which  I  must  consider, 
approve  the  movement.  You  have  made  good,  my  dear  Peary,  and 
have  given  immense  prestige  to  our  service.  We  can  only  be  honored 
in  our  grade  of  rear-admiral  by  your  addition  to  our  list.  Your  long 
years  of  endeavor  and  your  final  success,  as  against  heartbreaking  con¬ 
ditions,  are  magnificent.  I  wish  you  success. 

FOREIGN 'SCIENTISTS  APPROVE  FINDINGS. 

To  the  testimony  and  the  encomiums  of  such  men  I  wish  to 
add  two  other  messages  with  regard  to  the  authenticity  of  the 
Peary  records.  The  report  to  the  National  Geographic  Society 
was  plain.  The  three  men  who  signed  that  report  were  better 
qualified  than  any  committee  of  Congress  to  pass  upon  the 
Peary  instruments  and  records.  These  three  men  certified  to 
an  awaiting  world  that  they  had  examined  the  records  and  the 
instruments  and  found  them  true.  Who  were  these  three  men? 
Independent  scientists  who  dared  to  stake  their  reputations 
upon  a  falsehood  or  upon  a  superficial  examination  of  the 
facts?  Let  us  see.  First  was  Henry  Gannett,  an  honored  offi¬ 
cer  of  the  United  States  Government  and  president  of  its  geo¬ 
graphic  board,  a  proven,  trusted  geographer  and  geologist ; 
O.  H.  Tittmann — and  who  was  he? — the  honored  and  respected 
Chief  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  of  the  United  States, 
under  whose  direction  the  coast  lines  of  our  country  are  sur¬ 
veyed  and  inspected ;  and  C.  M.  Chester,  an  honored  and  re¬ 
spected  officer  of  the  United  States  Navy,  educated  at  Annapo¬ 
lis  and  advanced  to  the  rank  of  rear-admiral  (retired).  Who 
will  dispute  the  integrity  of  these  men,  even  though  they  acted 
not  in  their  official  capacity,  but  as  members  of  a  voluntary 
association?  Surely  no  associated  body  of  foreign  scientists. 
For  the  verdict  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  which 
passed  upon  the  report  of  these  distinguished  Americans  has 
been  accepted  without  question  by  the  Royal  Geographical  So¬ 
ciety  of  London,  the  geographical  societies  of  Berlin,  Paris, 
Geneva,  Rome,  Brussels,  Antwerp,  Vienna,  Dresden,  Madrid, 
St.  Petersburg,  Tokyo,  Mexico,  Lima  (Peru),  the  geographical 
societies  of  Chicago,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia,  and  practi¬ 
cally  every  geographical  society  in  the  world. 

EXPLORERS  ALSO  APPROVE. 

Moreover,  in  addition  to  Melville  and  Sigsbee,  Peary’s  achieve¬ 
ments  and  the  report  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  have 
been  received  without  question  by  Nansen,  the  Duke  of  Abruzzi, 
Greely,  Shackleton,  and  Scott.  Wfith  this  strong  array  it 
would  seem  that  the  only  thing  for  Congress  to  do  would  be 
to  accept  the  verdict  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  with¬ 
out  further  humiliation  of  the  American  explorer.  It  would 
not  wrongfully  condemn  an  officer  of  its  own  selection ;  it  could 
not  condemn  an  officer  for  doing  literary  work  upon  conditions 
which  were  thoroughly  understood  in  the  correspondence  and  the 
instructions,  nor  would  it  be  likely  to  condemn  an  officer  charged 
to  take  the  breastworks  who  captured  the  entire  fortifications. 
It  may  be  argued  that  Commander  Peary  was  not  authorized 
to  extend  his  journey  to  the  North  Pole,  but  it  would  not  be 
contended  by  the  American  people  that  he  should  be  censured 
34239—8852 - 3 


r\ 


34 

because  be  succeeded  in  doing  more  tban  the  letter  of  bis  in¬ 
structions  required.  Nor  will  the  sober  judgment 'of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  people  approve  the  deprivation  of  Peary’s  right  to  provide 
for  himself  and  family,  notwithstanding  the  application  of  his 
“  leave  of  absence  pay  ”  while  engaged  in  successful  exploration. 

But  another  point,  Mr.  Speaker,  with  which  I  shall  now 
deal  pertains  to  the  accuracy  of  Peary’s  records.  Was  the  ex¬ 
amination  of  Peary’s  records  and  instruments  by  the  three  dis¬ 
tinguished  scientists  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  a  super¬ 
ficial  examination?  Was  it  correct?  Was  it  thorough?  Was 
it  such  an  examination  as  Congress  itself  would  require?  Could 
Congress  improve  upon  the  examination  made  by  these  three 
men?  Would  any  good  purpose  be  served  by  such  procedure, 
and  if  followed  would  not  Congress  have  to  send  for  Messrs. 
Gannett,  Tittmann,  and  Chester  to  relieve  its  unscientific  em¬ 
barrassment?  I  question,  Mr.  Speaker,  whether  the  produc¬ 
tion  of  the  instruments,  the  records,  and  the  papers,  so  that 
they  might  be  strewn  out  in  front  of  the  Speaker’s  desk,  would 
do  aught  but  confuse  and  delay  us. 

AMERICAN  SCIENTISTS  COMPETENT. 

Recur  to  the  letter  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 
under  date  of  March  12,  1910 : 

In  October,  1909 — 

He  says — 

Mr.  Peary  transmitted  to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey 
21  volumes  of  tidal  observations  and  also  a  profile  of  soundings  from 
Cape  Columbia  to  within  5  miles  of  the  pole — 

And  then  he  admonishes  us — 

A  reduction  of  the  tidal  observations  has  been  in  progress  for  some 
time,  but  owing  to  more  pressing  duties  the  final  discussion  of  these 
results  has  not  yet^  been  completed. 

Have  we  the  time  or  the  disposition  to  examine  this  small 
portion  of  Mr.  Peary’s  work,  these  21  volumes  of  tidal  ob¬ 
servations  which  the  great  Department  of  Commerce  and 
Labor,  because  of  “more  pressing”  duties,  is  unable  to  dis¬ 
pose  of?  Pray,  Mr.  Speaker,  who  in  this  House  feels  that 
his  judgment  in  matters  of  this  kind  would  be  superior  to  that 
of  these  three  men,  accredited  officers  of  this  Government, 
specialists  in  their  line,  who  have  already  reported  thoroughly 
upon  this  question?  And  if  it  be  not  Peary  the  victim,  but 
Peary  the  hero,  whom  we  are  after,  why  not,  Mr.  Speaker, 
proceed  to  the  Hydrographic  Office  and  take  note  of  the  prog¬ 
ress  there  made  by  the  Navy  Department  in  building  new  maps 
of  the  world,  which,  thanks  to  the  explorations  of  Peary,  enable 
us  to  carry  American  soundings  to  the  pole? 

I  hope  the  joint  resolution  approving  the  report  of  Messrs. 
Gannett,  Tittmann,  and  Chester  will  be  approved  by  this  House. 
I  have  wanted  to  make  sure  that  there  could  be  no  mistake 
about  this  report.  Admiral  Chester,  unfortunately,  is  at  this 
time  sojourning  in  Constantinople,  Turkey,  and  therefore  I 
have  been  unable  to  reach  him.  But  on  his  behalf  I  am  au¬ 
thorized  to  say  that  he  can  be  quoted  unreservedly  as  being 
thoroughly  convinced  of  the  accuracy  and  indisputability  of 
Peary’s  proofs,  and  that  he  “  spent  many  hours  going  over 
Peary’s  papers  and  observations,  and  reported  most  emphat¬ 
ically  as  to  the  faithfulness  and  honesty  of  the  reports.”  Mr. 

34239—8852 


’ M  U  II 


I  V 

I  I 


35 


Gannett  and  Mr.  Tittmann  are  both  on  duty  at  their  accus- 
tomed  places  in  the  city  of  Washington.  I  have  asked  them 
whether,  in  the  light  of  recent  criticism  of  Mr.  Peary,  they  still 
stand  by  the  report  which  they  made  to  the  National  Geo¬ 
graphic  Society. 

NO  CHANGE  OP  OPINION,  SAYS  GANNETT. 

I  append  their  letters,  written  at  my  suggestion: 

National  Geographic  Society, 

Washington ,  D.  C.,  March  17,  1910 L 

Hon.  J.  Hampton  Moore, 

House  of  Representatives ,  United  States , 

Washington ,  D.  C. 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  yours  of  this  date. 

The  report  submitted  to  the  National  Geographic  Society  November 
4,  1909,  certifying  that  “  Commander  Peary  has  submitted  to  this  sub¬ 
committee  his  original  journal  and  records  of  observations,  together 
with  all  his  instruments  and  apparatus  and  certain  of  the  most  im¬ 
portant  of  the  scientific  results  of  his  expedition,”  and  that  “these  have 
been  carefully  examined  by  your  subcommittee,  and  they  are  unani¬ 
mously  of  the  opinion  that  Commander  Peary  reached  the  North  Pole 
on  April  6,  1909,”  to  which  report  my  name  is  attached,  was,  and  still 
is,  my  unbiased  statement  of  the  records  as  I  found  them.  This  report 
made  by  me  and  my  colleagues  to  the  National  Geographic  Society  No¬ 
vember  4,  1909,  was  true  and  accurate,  and  since  that  date  my  opinion 
as  to  Mr.  Peary’s  discovery  has  not  in  anywise  changed,  nor  would  it 
be  changed  if  I  should  be  called  upon  to  make  a  report  to  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States. 

Very  truly,  yours,  Henry  Gannett, 

.  President  National  Geographic  Society. 

tittmann  confirms  the  record. 

2014  Hillyer  Place  NW., 
Washington,  D.  G.,  March  18,  1910. 

Dear  Mr.  Moore:  I  have  your  letter  of  the  17th.  During  the  time 
when  a  controversy  about  the  discovery  of  the  North  Pole  was  acute  in 
this  country  I  was  in  Europe  and  knew  very  little  about  it.  I  came 
back  entirely  unbiased  and  served  on  the  committee  in  that  frame  of 
mind. 

On  the  evidence  before  us  I  signed  the  report  to  the  National  Geo¬ 
graphic  Society  with  a  full  sense  of  its  import.  My  opinion  has  under¬ 
gone  no  change  since  the  date  of  that  report,  and  I  am  fully  convinced 
that  Peary  reached  the  pole. 

Yours,  truly,  0.  H.  Tittmann. 

Hon.  J.  Hampton  Moore,  M.  C., 

Washington,  D.  O.  ® 

LET  US  “  LIVE  AND  LET  LIVE.” 

In  conclusion,  Mr.  Speaker,  I  respectfully  submit  that  this 
great  country  of  ours  can  not  afford  to  play  the  part  of  “  the 
dog  in  the  manger.”  One  of  our  own  sons  has  accomplished 
what  in  the  estimation  of  men  of  progress  and  courage  is  re¬ 
garded  as  heroic — surely  without  parallel.  All  other  efforts, 
from  whatsoever  source,  have  failed  in  the  attempt  to  encom¬ 
pass  it.  Men  who  distanced  others,  step  by  step,  in  the  strug¬ 
gle  “  farthest  north,”  have  been  sung  and  honored  for  their 
unsuccessful  efforts.  We  can  not  afford  to  ignore  our  own 
citizen  who  ultimately  reached  the  goal.  The  spirit  of  icono- 
clasm  prevails  to  a  greater  extent  to-day  perhaps  than  ever. 
We  are  not  a  nation  of  idol  worshippers,  but  we  have  ever 
preached  and  taught  the  doctrine  of  progress,  the  spirit  of  the 
initiative ;  that  spirit  of  incentive  and  action  which  we  have  been 
proud  to  denominate  American.  When  a  brave  young  officer 
of  the  navy  volunteers,  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  to  sink  the  Merri¬ 
mack  in  the  harbor  of  Santiago,  and  performs  a  feat  which 
excites  the  admiration  of  the  world,  we  ought  not  to  cast  him 
34239—8852 


oi'iU.n  ici  y'i i?4i3ViP 

k  i'i  h  8  R  u 


36 


down.  If  some  hitherto  unknown  commander  in  the  navy 
strikes  the  death  blow  to  a  hostile  power  in  Manila  Bay,  it  is 
cruelty  to  anathematize  him  the  moment  he  sets  his  foot  again 
upon  American  sail.  In  our  great  political  dispensation,  with 
faction  contending  against  faction,  it  is  to  be  expected  that 
criticism  and  ridicule  may  be  employed  to  dethrone  a  leader 
whose  pretenses  will  not  stand  the  test  of  popular  approval ;  but 
if  men  go  forth  to  battle,  or  venture  into  the  field  of  discovery, 
or  employ  their  talents  and  their  genius  to  expand  and  glorify 
the  country,  we  ought  not,  in  all  fairness,  in  all  honor,  in  all 
decency,  deny  them  that  recognition  the  hope  of  which  is  the 
inspiration  and  the  sum  of  their  performances. 

APPENDIX. 

[H.  J.  Res.  169,  Sixty-first  Congress,  second  session.] 

In  the  House  of  Representatives.  March  11,  1910.  Mr.  Moore  of 
Pennsylvania  introduced  the  following  joint  resolution,  which  was  re¬ 
ferred  to  the  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 
Joint  resolution  accepting  as  true  and  competent  a  report  to  the  Na¬ 
tional  Geographic  Society  by  Henry  Gannett,  O.  H.  Titlmann,  and 
C.  M.  Chester,  relating  to  the  discovery  of  the  North  Pole  by  Com¬ 
mander  Robert  E.  Peary,  April  6,  1909. 

Whereas  it  is  generally  acknowledged  throughout  the  world  that  Com¬ 
mander  Robert  E.  Peary,  an  American,  while  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States  of  America  and  under  orders  from  the  Navy  Department, 
discovered  the  North  Pole  on  April  6,  1909,  an  achievement  which  was 
at  once  a  tribute  to  American  skill  and  perseverance  and  the  consum¬ 
mation  vainly  sought  by  explorers  of  all  the  nations  through  all  the 
ages  ;  and  • 

Whereas  the  proof  of  this  important  discovery  was  duly  attested 
after  an  examination  of  the  records  of  Commander  Peary  by  a  commit¬ 
tee  of  the  National  Geographic  Society,  which,  in  its  report  to  the 
board  of  managers  of  said  society,  at  Hubbard  Memorial  Hall,  Wash¬ 
ington,  D.  C.,  on  November  4,  1909,  said  : 

“  Commander  Peary  has  submitted  to  this  subcommittee  his  original 
journal  and  records  of  observations,  together  with  all  his  instruments 
and  apparatus  and  certain  of  the  most  important  of  the  scientific  results 
of  his  expedition.  These  have  been  carefully  examined  by  your  subcom¬ 
mittee,  and  they  are  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  Commander  Peary 
reached  the  North  Pole  on  April  6,  1909. 

“  They  also  feel  warranted  in  stating  that  the  organization,  plan, 
and  management  of  the  expedition,  its  complete  success,  and  its  scien¬ 
tific  results  reflect  the  greatest  credit  on  the  ability  of  Commander 
Robert  E.  Peary,  and  render  him  worthy  of  the  highest  honors  that  the 
National  Geographic  Society  can  bestow  upon  him.”  And 

Whereas  the  committee  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  which 
examined  the  records  of  Commander  Peary  and  presented  the  report 
above  referred  to  was  composed  of  three  distinguished  scientists  of  the 
United  States,  all  of  them  (though  in  this  relation  acting  for  the 
National  Geographic  Society)  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  to 
wdt :  Henry  Gannett,  chairman  of  the  National  Geographic  Board  ;  O.  H. 
Tittmann,  superintendent  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  ;  and  Rear- 
Admiral  C.  M.  Chester,  United  States  Navy,  retired  ;  and 

Whereas  since  the  report  of  said  American  scientists  and  trusted  offi¬ 
cials  of  the  United  States  was  made  by  them  in  their  capacity  as  com¬ 
mitteemen  of  the  National  Geographic  Society  credence  has  been  given 
their  findings  by  all  the  great  scientific  bodies  of  the  world,  to  the  great 
honor  and  glory  of  the  United  States  of  America  :  Therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  this  Congress  accepts  the  above-mentioned  report  of 
Henry  Gannett,  chairman  of  the  United  States  Geographic  Board  ;  O.  H. 
Tittmann,  superintendent  of  the  Ccast  and  Geodetic  Survey  ;  and  Rear- 
Admiral  C.  M.  Chester,  United  States  Navy,  retired,  as  submitted  by 
them  to  the  National  Geographic  Society  November  4,  1909,  as  a  true 
and  competent  statement,  to  which  shall  be  accorded  the  same  con¬ 
sideration  and  respect  it  would  be  entitled  to  receive  if  made  officially 
to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 


34239—8852 


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